The new associate dean in the College of Mass Communications and Media Arts has a challenging task ahead, her peers and faculty members within the college say.

Jyotika Ramaprasad, an associate professor of Journalism, took over for former Associate Dean William Elliott at the beginning of the semester.

Elliott helped combine the Departments of Cinema and Photography, Radio-Television and Journalism into the College of Mass Communications and Media Arts in the summer of 1993.

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James Kelly, an associate professor in the School of Journalism, said Elliott left SIUC in December to take the position as dean of the College of Communications at Marquette University.

As associate dean, it will be part of Ramaprasad’s job to help connect the departments within the school as well as enhance the prestige of the school itself, Gary Kolb, chairperson of the Cinema and Photography Department, said.

Due to advances in technology in the past 10 years, there has been an increasing amount of overlapping within all forms of media, Kolb said. And there is a need to educate students in all of its forms.

Kelly said he feels that Ramaprasad is an asset to the department because of her wide range of skills.

Dr. Ramaprasad is very good at building interdepatmental relationships, he said. She is very supportive of the faculty belief on collective venture between departments.

Kolb said convergence is necessary for the growth of the college as well as its students.

Instead of training students in only their field of study, we want to incorporate other areas of media within a student’s chosen major, Kolb said.

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Recently, Ramaprasad returned from a trip to South Asia where she led workshops and laid the groundwork for an international journalism education convention. The convention, which will include media representatives from the Asian countries they have visited this January, will take place in Anaheim, Calif., in 1997.

One of the different aspects that Ramaprasad brings to the school is her international connections, Kelly said.

Walter Jaehnig, an associate professor in Journalism, said Ramaprasad knows how to deal with foreign constituents and had a big part in planning the South Asian trip.

SIUC’s Asian visit has won the University-wide recognition in those countries, said Ramaprasad.

We get so many requests from other countries to do workshops and to attend conventions, Ramaprasad said. Those requests have become so common that we cannot obligate ourselves to all them.

Jaehnig said Ramaprasad has a good work ethic. She brings many good qualities to the position, he said.

Although Ramaprasad’s peers think very highly of her, she is humble when talking about herself.

I am modest. I was brought up to be that way, she said. But I think that my colleagues would say that I am consistent, very tenacious, and very hard working.