Instead of actively participating in face-to-face lectures during his senior year at Lock Haven University (LHU), Journalism major Alex Ross sits for hours on his laptop everyday completing homework for his online classes – something he never expected after returning to campus post-pandemic.
Ross, along with many of his peers enrolled in the LHU Media and Journalism Department, are witnessing drastic changes to their program just six months after the collegiate integration of Commonwealth University. Among the changes include staff shortages, increased online course offerings, and limited access to media equipment.
LHU officially merged on July 1 with Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities to form the collective Commonwealth University. The reasons behind the merger stemmed from declining enrollment numbers and limited financial resources. It seeks to reverse these trends while maintaining each campus’s individuality.
Before the merger, media students were a part of one larger program, the Department of Communication, which housed four concentrations in Advertising/Public Relations, Electronic Media, Journalism, and Organizational Communication. Integration, however, split the program into two: one focusing on digital media and journalism while the other targets business and performative communication.
Five professors taught in the department prior to the merger in 2021. Three taught introductory and some upper-level courses while the other two professors instructed the media-based classes. However, earlier this spring, Lock Haven’s tenured Journalism professor, Sharon Stringer, retired leaving the newly formed Media and Journalism Department with one full-time professor, Matthew McKeague.
Most Lock Haven Communication majors are enrolled in one of the three media-centric tracks according to data provided by McKeague. Forty-eight students make up the combined departments for this fall semester. Of the 48, 94% have declared to be a media major. Only three students study Organizational Communication. There is a current faculty-to-student ratio of 45:1 in the Media and Journalism Department compared to a ratio of 45:2 when Stringer was employed.
To date, Stringer has not been replaced by the university leaving the department low-staffed. According to James Brown, Dean of Students for the College of Liberal Arts across Commonwealth University, priority had not been placed on hiring a substitute for the 2022-2023 academic year. While a definite answer was not given as to why, Brown alluded to the school’s fiscal deficit as a potential reason.
The staff shortage and integration have caused an increase in virtual course offerings for students at Lock Haven. Communication majors previously had the option of taking one to two online classes each semester. Since the merger, those numbers have doubled and are largely taught by off-campus instructors.
Journalism students are mainly affected by this. Their concentration has become an almost 100% virtual major because of staff shortages. As a result, students have to take written media classes online predominantly through Bloomsburg University in order to get the required credits necessary for graduation. Others are offered sparingly by professors outside of the department. Advertising and Public Relations majors are similarly affected.
LHU students have mixed feelings about the continuation of online classes in a post-COVID world. Senior Advertising and Public Relations major Dante Nelson prefers taking virtual courses to avoid work scheduling conflicts.
“I don’t mind taking my classes online. I honestly prefer to take them that way. I have a full-time job in State College, and it gets challenging to balance in-person classes at Lock Haven with work over an hour away. I can better manage time when my classes are online,” he said.
Other students are less enthused about online learning. Journalism majors, like senior Alex Ross, feel as if they are losing out on their college experience since most of the concentration is taught remotely.
“I mean no disrespect to the students, staff, or faculty at Bloomsburg, but I came to Lock Haven to take classes at Lock Haven. The fact that half of the classes I need to take are only provided by Bloomsburg in order for me to graduate frustrates me. We now have to look for professors outside of our own major on and off campus who may be able to teach the required classes to graduate,” Ross said.
While virtual learning environments provide students with both positive and negative experiences, research largely shows that students perform better in face-to-face classes.
Electronic Media majors are also being impacted by the merger. Accessibility to the on-campus television and radio studios became limited on Sept. 22 due to an updated media policy enacted by Commonwealth University’s Information Technology department. Additionally, the night-shift technician was moved to dayshift without a replacement according to McKeague. Therefore, students were unable to work in the studios or rent out media equipment after 4:30 p.m. without supervision. All production hours and radio shows were rescheduled as a result.
In the following weeks, two Electronic Media majors – junior Lizabeth Kasmer and sophomore Alison Rancott – were hired as student technicians to supervise the studios to enhance student accessibility.
Even though student technicians were hired, students still do not have full accessibility to the studios throughout the week. Evening hours are available Monday through Thursday. However, there is no access to the studios on weekends and Friday evenings. These scheduling changes have upset several Electronic Media majors within the department, including junior William Deming.
“The hours and availability of the TV and radio studios need to be better. While I am glad students can now technically cover those hours it still isn’t full availability, and those students aren’t allowed to do the same things the other staff during the day are, such as accessing the camera equipment room.”
Despite the low morale circulating within the Media and Journalism Department, students hope the changes remain temporary.
“While I’m not happy with our program right now, I really hope things get better and that this is all just growing pains of the new merger. I probably won’t see much of an improvement since I’m graduating in the spring, but I truly want the best for the LHU Media program as well as the students after me,” Ross said.
To learn more about the Commonwealth University merger, students’ concerns, as well as the effects of online learning, check out the following resources:
- Commonwealth University: “The Power of Three”
The main website for Commonwealth University which outlines the purpose and mission for the institution. Academic, admission, and tuition information is also provided for each participating college – Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield. - NBC Philadelphia: “PA state system looks to consolidate 6 colleges into 2 to save money”
The article explores the two primary reasons behind the proposed mergers within the PA State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) – to save money and reverse declining enrollment trends. An additional resource by AACSB further examines why universities across the country are resorting to mergers as a means to remain open in a post-COVID world. - Inside Higher Ed: “Pennsylvania board votes ‘yes’ on consolidation”
The article reports on the 2021 approval of two university consolidations in the PASSHE system. Student and employee concerns are also strongly voiced specifically regarding more online course options, collegiate athletics, and lack of publicized information. - Kentucky Counseling Center: “Mental health effects of online learning”
The blog post highlights some of the negative mental health effects of online learning for students, parents, and instructors. Among the most notable consequences include increased fatigue, feelings of isolation, and stress. A few benefits of virtual learning are also mentioned such as comfortability and family bonding. The writer concludes with some tips to help students enhance their mental health amid online learning environments.
Kerri Hoover
Kerri Hoover is in her third year working on the Eagle Eye staff and currently serves as the President and Editor-in-Chief. As a Lock Haven University senior, she majors in Communication with a triple-concentration focus in Advertising & Public Relations, Electronic Media, and Journalism. With her versatile skill set, Kerri hopes to pursue a career working as a social media content creator, journalist, or video editor. On the rare occasion Kerri isn’t working in the newsroom, she can be found hanging out with her friends, working at the PUB, or creating content for the LHU Media and Journalism Department.
