CCI Strategic Plan 2025-2030

2025-2030 Strategic Plan CONNECT. COMMUNICATE. INNOVATE.

2025-2030 Strategic Plan

Steering Committee Michelle Kazmer, Dean Jonathan Adams, Professor

Rachel Bailey, Professor, School of Communication Kelly Farquharson, Professor, School of Communication Science and Disorders Shannon Hall-Mills, Associate Professor, School of Communication Science and Disorders Zhe He, Professor, School of Information Charles Hinnant, Associate Professor and Director, School of Information Elaine Howard, Strategic Projects and Community Engagement Faye Jones, Research Specialist Jennifer Kekelis, Assistant Director, School of Communication Science and Disorders Jason Khan-Hohensee, Assistant Director, School of Communication Kaitlin Lansford, Professor, Associate Dean of Research and Creative Activities Jaejin Lee, Professor, School of Communication Patrick Merle, Professor and Director, School of Communication JB Mitchell, Assistant Director of Administration, School of Information Tricia Montgomery, Associate Director of Academic and Student Affairs, School of Communication Science and Disorders Richard Morris, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Faculty Advancement Amy Mosher, Graduate Academic Program Specialist, School of Information Anchalee Ngampornchai, Associate Director, School of Information Elizabeth Ray, Assistant Professor, School of Communication Ebrahim Randeree, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration Subhasree Sengupta, Assistant Professor, School of Information Michelle Therrien, Associate Professor, School of Communication Science and Disorders Carla Wood, Professor and Director, School of Communication Science and Disorders

PAGE 2

CCI STRATEGIC PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Dean

04

About the College

05

Mission, Vision, & Values

08

Goals

10

Strategies

11

Innovation & Emerging Technologies

18

PAGE 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message From

The Dean

Our roots run deep at FSU’s College of Communication and Information. Each of our three Schools — Communication, Communication Science and Disorders, and Information — has a proud history of academic achievement, research, and community impact by faculty, students, staff, and alumni.

Our strong sense of community and our commitment to supporting each other in the pursuit of excellence help make the College a great place to work and to study. We are proud to have created a shared vision for our college that included input from across the organization. We welcome you to join in our mission to connect, communicate, and innovate.

Best regards, MICHELLE KAZMER Dean

PAGE 4

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

About the College The FSU College of Communication and Information (CCI) is a dynamic academic community at Florida State, comprising the School of Communication, the School of Information, and the School of Communication Science and Disorders. The College is a leader in innovation in the f ields of communication and information sciences, with over a dozen research centers, institutes, and labs with broad-ranging impacts in clinical care, emerging technology applications, and policy formation.

The College also offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs led by world-renowned faculty, designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the communication, information technology, and communication disorder f ields with an emphasis on experiential learning, innovative research, and community engagement.

Students and faculty are involved in a variety of projects, f rom cybersecurity and health information technology to early literacy programs and digital libraries. The College is committed to fostering a supportive environment that encourages academic excellence and professional development.

PAGE 5

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Three Schools, Endless Possibilities School of Communication The FSU School of Communication offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs designed to provide students with hands-on experience and a solid foundation in communication theory and practice. The School has several affiliated research centers and labs, including the renowned Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication, the Project Management Center, and the Wellness Communication Center. The School offers plentiful opportunities for experiential learning, such as the competitive Arrowhead Advertising and the FSU Debate team, and is an affiliate of WVFS Tallahassee 89.7 FM, a non-commercial, educational, public radio station, recognized as one of the best college radio stations nationally.

School of Communication Science and Disorders The FSU School of Communication Science and Disorders is consistently recognized among the top 10% nationally by U.S. News & World Report and proudly holds the title of the top-ranked program in Florida. Through a collaborative approach, the School drives comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs, expertly preparing future speech-language pathologists and audiologists. With distinguished faculty, the state-of-the-art FSU Speech and Hearing Clinic, the Communication and Early Childhood Research Center, and innovative research labs, the School cultivates excellence in clinical education and fosters groundbreaking research in areas like speech sound, language, fluency, voice, neurogenic communication disorders, and hearing science.

School of Information The FSU School of Information is one of the founding iSchools, known for its innovative approach to information education, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Information Technology and Library and Information Studies, including two nationally ranked master’s programs available entirely online and a PhD program in Information. The iSchool is a founding partner of the Innovation Hub, an interdisciplinary innovation space on campus, and is home to a number of faculty-led, innovative research centers, institutes, and labs, including the Information Institute and the Institute for Successful Longevity.

PAGE 6

SCHOOLS

College Centers and Institutes

CENTER FOR HISPANIC MARKETING COMMUNICATION

INSTITUTE FOR DIGITAL INFORMATION & SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION

INSTITUTE FOR SUCCESSFUL LONGEVITY

INFORMATION USE MANAGEMENT & POLICY INSTITUTE

COMMUNICATION & EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH & PRACTICE CENTER

L.L. SCHENDEL SPEECH & HEARING CLINIC (FSU SPEECH AND HEARING CLINIC)

PAGE 7 CENTERS & INSTITUTES

Visit the College of Communication & Information Office of Research at CCI.FSU.EDU/RESEARCH to learn more about Centers and Institutes.

Mission and Vision Mission

The College of Communication and Information creates, disseminates, and preserves knowledge in the communication and information professions and disciplines while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in experiential practice. The College is dedicated to excellence in human-centered teaching, research, creative endeavors, and service. The College strives to foster and develop the strengths and skills essential for lifelong learning, ethical leadership, resilience, and sustained achievement within the community.

Vision

The College of Communication and Information is a global leader in advancing communication and information sciences. The College fosters innovative research, empowers all voices, and develops scholars and future leaders who drive meaningful change in an increasingly connected world.

PAGE 8

MISSION & VISION

Values Collaboration Collaboration is central to all we do as a college, and requires a commitment to mutual trust, respect, and shared work. We know that what we can do working together has a greater impact than what we can do separately, and we agree to prioritize cooperative goals.

Connection Our college focuses on meaningful connection, which is reflected in our generous intentionality and positive presence in all spheres in which, and with which, we collaborate. We bring commitment, interaction, and follow-through to all our endeavors. When we engage with groups, we focus on their priorities and goals.

Innovation We value our ability to innovate in, and our innovative contributions to, the fastchanging professions and disciplines in which our constituents live and work.

Our innovation is creative, flexible, and deliberate, and is shaped by contexts and evidence.

PAGE 9

VALUES

2025-2030 Strategic Plan GOALS

The Strategic Plan Goals were developed by a College Steering Committee comprising faculty and staff representing each of the three Schools, as well as members of the College administration. The Goals were informed by themes that emerged during the strategic planning workshop during the 2024 College annual retreat.

1. LEADERSHIP Continue to enhance the College’s recognition as a leader in communication and information sciences, providing value to the professions, higher education, and policymakers worldwide.

2. COLLABORATION Strengthen the existing culture of collaboration that builds connections between the Schools of Communication, Information, and Communication Science and Disorders, as well as institutional, community, and industry partners.

3. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Continue to promote and develop excellence in the College’s academic programming and innovative research centers, institutes, and labs, and nurture faculty and student success.

PAGE 10 GOALS

The Strategic Plan contains 18 strategies for achieving the College mission and vision, divided equally among three goals and organized into nine focus areas. The strategies are implemented through objectives that align with the College values.

GOALS AND FOCUS AREAS LEADERSHIP 1. Externalize a Trusted Resource 2. Advance Research and Creative Activity 3. Embrace Innovation

COLLABORATION 1. Support Interdisciplinarity 2. Embrace Shared Vision and Collective Value 3. Promote Broad Engagement

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 1. Grow Graduate Programs 2. Prioritize Student Success 3. Invest in Faculty and Staff Development and Support

COLLEGE VALUES 1. Collaboration 2. Connection 3. Innovation

PAGE 11 STRATEGIES

2025-2030 Strategic Plan STRATEGIES

GOAL 1: LEADERSHIP FOCUS AREA 1: EXTERNALIZE A TRUSTED SOURCE Strategy 1. Promote a unified identity for the College that is synonymous with innovation and excellence, and market to internal and external stakeholders. a. Adopt a shared slogan for the College and incorporate this catchphrase into college media, event promotions, and external communications. b. Transform visual communications to align with the FSU brand (2025), reflecting consistency with university branding and creating visual unity across the schools.

Strategy 2. Increase connections with communities, industry partners, and policymakers to increase the College’s recognition as a trusted resource on Communication and Information issues. a. Optimize each Schools’ external advisory groups to increase connections with external partners and strengthen trusted relationships with individuals and organizations that guide policy on matters related to communication and information. b. Set annual targets within each School to achieve expanded and strengthened partnerships with external entities.

FOCUS AREA 2: ADVANCED RESEARCH Strategy 3. Identify and market existing College research assets that are leading in higher education and industries to external stakeholders and peer institutions. a. Increase visibility of these research assets on the College website by creating unique branding and landing pages for each. b. Identify opportunities to develop new centers or repurpose existing centers to consolidate assets in more communicable ways without overburdening current personnel.

Strategy 4. Support and develop faculty research with direct community benefits, such as clinical and translational research in Health Information, Health Communication, and Communication Science and Disorders. a. Collaborate with University Communications to highlight the community benefits of College research to external stakeholders.

PAGE 12 LEADERSHIP

GOAL 1: LEADERSHIP (CON.) b. Expand our funding portfolio to include support from industry partners, foundations, and federal agencies to enhance our research and creative activity capabilities and sustain our innovative initiatives. c. Identify a faculty lead(s) to coordinate with the Office of Commercialization to propose at least one potential patent or market idea per year. Focus external partnerships (Strategy 2.b) to include at least one engagement per year that exemplifies translational research.

FOCUS AREA 3: EMBRACE INNOVATION Strategy 5. Encourage and incentivize faculty and staff to embrace emerging and innovative technologies and pedagogy. a. Prepare students to be leaders in innovation through enhanced curriculum and increased participation in ongoing programming. b. Nominate at least two faculty from each School for existing University disciplinary awards annually. c. Optimize existing College awards that recognize faculty for innovative pedagogy and technology adoption.

Strategy 6. Create an interdisciplinary faculty interest group for exploring emerging issues and technologies in communication and information sciences, including applications of artificial intelligence. a. Monitor the impacts of emerging technologies on industry and higher education and advise on potential research and curriculum changes. b. Explore opportunities to engage as a college in matters of innovation and artificial intelligence as subject matter experts with FSU colleagues and outside the university. c. Identify key faculty to serve as liaisons to the Provost’s Academic Innovation committees and participate in discussions on the use of artificial intelligence at the University. d. Encourage faculty to lead university-wide collaborations on innovation through Faculty Interest Groups and Collaborative Collisions. e. Secure funding for a consultant to identify opportunities to further align educational offerings with emerging workforce needs and transformational technologies including artificial intelligence.

PAGE 13 LEADERSHIP

GOAL 2: COLLABORATION FOCUS AREA 4: SUPPORT INTERDISCIPLINARITY Strategy 1. Increase administrative support to facilitate interdisciplinary activity under the leadership of the Associate Dean and a designated faculty work group. a. Create a communications pathway to identify existing opportunities for faculty collaboration, promote current faculty and student collaborations in teaching and research, and communicate opportunities for cross-disciplinary sharing of resources, such as course materials. b. Identify opportunities for overlap with our various Schools’ courses through curriculum, guest lectures, and course materials. c. Invest in artificial intelligence cluster hires.

Strategy 2. Create opportunities for faculty collaboration by offering interdisciplinary leadership training and professional development meetings. a. Host events that create opportunities for faculty networking that leads to collaborations throughout the year. b. Solicit input from faculty on event subject matter, delivery method, and timing. c. Focus on allowing these meetings to support individual faculty goals and evaluate their effectiveness at such.

FOCUS AREA 5: EMBRACE SHARED VISION & COLLECTIVE VALUE Strategy 3. Host Summits or Symposia at the College level that draw from faculty and student research to highlight interdisciplinary scholarship and create opportunities to strengthen cross-disciplinary relationships. a. Work with existing student groups and their faculty advisors to generate ideas and organize events. b. Focus on low-investment, high reward activities, such as reuse of conference poster and presentation material.

Strategy 4. Create opportunities for in-person collaboration through shared physical space. a. Create a compelling and unified message about the physical space needs for the College and engage with Budget and Finance leadership in the Office of the Provost to convert these needs into action. b. Continue efforts to secure new space, repurpose existing space, and fundraise to fulfill space needs.

PAGE 14 COLLABORATION

GOAL 2: COLLABORATION (CON.) FOCUS AREA 6: PROMOTE BROAD ENGAGEMENT Strategy 5. Sustain a culture that values individual experience and broad participation with a commitment to ensuring that all voices are represented. a. Ensure that faculty and staff voices are represented anytime faculty, students, or community constituents are engaging, meeting, and sharing by intentionally inviting broad representation from the College.

Strategy 6. Feature multiple viewpoints in the news and social media posts for the College. a. Continue to measure and communicate School and constituent group representation in College activities.

College Signature Events Career Fair Research Day Honors and Awards Ceremony Distinguished Alumni and Dean’s Laureate Event Fall Welcome Back Events Spring Socials & BBQ Events FSU Leadership Conference School Graduation Events Study Abroad and Grad Fair South Asian Media and Cultural Studies Conference TalTech Conference Regional Alumni Mixers Scholars and Stars Galas iCamp

Event Involvement AIMLx25 Expo (annual) FSU Health Expo FSU Black Alumni Speed Networking ITS Seminole Showcase

View upcoming College events on the College Events Calendar webpage: cci.fsu.edu/about/cci-events/ PAGE 15 COLLABORATION

GOAL 3: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOCUS AREA 7: GROW GRAD PROGRAMS Strategy 1. Increase enrollment in the combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways Program. a. Re-configure the Senior Program Specialist role in the College to include a focus on strategic communication of all our academic offerings, including the pathways. b. Make intentional connections with undergraduate students in the first and second year of their programs to ensure that they are aware of the Combined Pathways Program opportunity. c. Connect with undergraduate advisors to ensure that they are providing information about the Combined Pathways Program to undergraduates in the majors.

Strategy 2. Continue to enhance Graduate opportunities to provide additional certifications.

Certificate

offerings

and

explore

a. Increase strategic communications about certificate offerings and opportunities. b. Continue to conduct annual assessments of certificate outcomes and use those results to market the programs and drive decisions about future paths for new and existing certificates. c. Explore options for professional education through FSU Learn to include at least one feasibility study per school for prospective programs. d. Expand current market rate programs and look for additional program offerings.

FOCUS AREA 8: PRIORITIZE STUDENT SUCCESS Strategy 3. Support the development of experiential learning curriculum and student activities that lead to well-rounded students ready for the workforce.

a. Ensure that aspects of experiential learning in the curriculum are measured annually through program and student learning outcomes and are adjusted accordingly to increase impact. b. Conduct annual evaluations of all student groups in the College to document impact. Leverage existing reporting requirements where possible to achieve this. c. Collaborate with the FSU Career Center on improving and documenting workforce outcomes. d. Develop a formal process for students to apply for travel funding for undergraduate research or find a way to share the existing resources with College faculty and students.

Strategy 4. Develop student professional skills and prepare them for leadership roles and C-level positions, in addition to preparing them with subject matter knowledge.

a. Conduct a feasibility study and environmental scan on measuring longitudinal career outcomes. b. Launch a Professional Development Week for the College that aligns with College Career Fair dates. c. Include a Professional Development in the Workplace educational opportunity for students that provides training in soft skills, workplace behavior, and tools for becoming empowered and informed citizens.

PAGE 16 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

GOAL 3: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE (CON.) FOCUS AREA 9: INVEST IN FACULTY DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT Strategy 5. Expand the College’s Faculty Advancement efforts to include additional communication mediums for recognizing faculty and staff and connecting scholars. a. Identify ways to recognize faculty and staff for their scholarly activity and their ability to connect that work with user groups and impacted communities. b. Communicate the value and impact of faculty, staff, and student works with general audiences through a variety of media. c. Broaden the methods of communication with general audiences to include blogs, podcasts, and other mediums. d. Feature a wider variety of faculty, staff, and student works not limited to scholarly publication.

Strategy 6. Create a culture of support for faculty and staff wishing to pursue professional development and career awards through mutual support and administrative resources. a. Connect faculty with existing training and professional development opportunities at the University. b. Identify new opportunities to support faculty trainings, attending conferences, and taking sabbaticals. c. Seek resources to equip teaching spaces with modern technology. d. Explore opportunities to work with faculty on defining plans for career progressions and pathways for award eligibility and nomination. e. Consider creating a faculty awards working group to identify opportunities and develop a repository of practical resources such as timelines and sample letters.

PAGE 17 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

INNOVATION & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

“Our innovation is creative, flexible, and deliberate, and is shaped by contexts and evidence.”

– College Strategic Plan Values

Our Approach The College of Communication and Information is a leader in innovation and the application of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR), in the fields of communication and information science. The College also prioritizes interdisciplinary collaboration and the application of innovative research and pedagogy that crosses disciplinary boundaries.

Leading Innovation Advancing Emerging Technology Use Pioneering New Tool Development Boosting Technology Literacy Collaborating Across Disciplines Engaging Community Partners Supporting Student Ideation & Inquiry Enhancing Clinical Research with AI Guiding AI Lifecycle and Ethical Use

PAGE 18 INNOVATION & EMERGING TECH

RESILIENCE THROUGH INNOVATION Through innovation we cultivate a mindset among the academic community to pursue interdisciplinary research and creative activities that bridge tradition and future ideation. College students are instilled with the vision and skills to pursue ideas that embrace the evolution of societal practice and are equipped to address future changes in a variety of societal contexts. Initiatives to champion community resilience through research, teaching, and service are met with innovative tool development and projects aimed at supporting communities in alignment with academic aims of the College, with the potential to serve research and community objectives to empower public participation and awareness. Through the continued advancement of interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership, the faculty, staff, and students in the College meet the needs of today and prepare for future advancements, ensuring that the College remains at the forefront of academic excellence and societal impact.

INNOVATION IN ACTION The College Centers, Institutes, and Labs lead innovations in emerging technology applications to improve clinical care, develop simulations, enhance research design methodologies, and investigate societal impacts of an evolving and increasingly AIinformed society.

College faculty lead efforts to integrate emerging technology applications into higher education. Courses specifically tailored to train students in emerging technology skills are balanced with curriculum exploring the societal implications and ethical practices of emerging technology use in the fields of communication, communication science and disorders, and information science.

The College encourages student-led projects and inquiry into emerging technologies through coursework, student research, creative activity and ideation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

PAGE 19 INNOVATION & EMERGING TECH

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT College faculty, staff, and students engage with community and industry partners to showcase emerging technology opportunities, applications, and training, including: Immersive Media Dome – the Immersive Media class explores VR media technology AIMLx25 Expo – FSU’s AI and Machine Learning Expo Help Guatemala Hear – School of Communication Science and Disorders service learning

INNOVATING FORWARD 1. Innovation and Engagement Inventory To identify opportunities for collegiate collaboration and promote the innovative activities of College faculty, staff, and students, the College will create a method of monitoring innovation and engagement activity for the purposes of promoting and recognizing these efforts across the College.

2. Trusted Leadership in Innovation To maximize the impacts and public benefit of innovative activity of College faculty, staff, and students, the College will seek additional opportunities to engage with external stakeholders and increase strategic external communications that connect College research with community and industry partners.

3. Emerging Technologies Faculty Collaboration To foster a culture of collaboration and leverage the combined expertise of College’s interdisciplinary faculty experts, the College will initiate an Emerging Technologies Faculty Interest Group.

PAGE 20 INNOVATION & EMERGING TECH

Research Labs College of Communication and Information Lab Machine Learning Lab (MLab)

School of Communication Cognition and Emotion Lab Interactions in Communication Contexts (ICC) Lab Participatory, Experientially-based Applied Knowledge for Social Change (PEAKS) Lab

School of Communication Science and Disorders AACcess Lab AAC Connect Lab American Sign Language (ASL) Lab Aphasia Research Lab Arabic Language and Literacy (ALL) Lab Bilingual Child Language and Literacy Lab Children’s Literacy and Speech Sound (CLaSS) Lab FSU Motor Speech Lab Hearing and Aging Research (HEAR) Lab Hearing Assessment (HAL) Lab

School of Information eHealth Lab iSensor Lab

Language, Literacy and ACC Across the Lifespan (LangLitLife) Lab Language Sample Analysis Laboratory (LSA) Motor Speech Disorders Lab (MSDLab) The Neurobiology of Language and Behavior Lab (NoLaB) School-based Practices, Effectiveness and Research (SPEAR) Lab Speech Laboratory Seminole Stuttering Center Speech Science Laboratory

Patents Metcalfe, S. (2023). Systems and Methods for Detecting Deception in Computer-Mediated Communications (US Patent No. 11,714,970).

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Information about Research Labs and Patents can be found on the individual School Research webpages: School of Communication, School of Communication Science and Disorders, School of Information.

PAGE 21 RESEARCH LABS

Innovation by Interdisciplinary Collaboration Key Statistics: College Faculty Collaboration (by percentage)

Faculty Collaboration

With FSU Psychology Faculty 36

College faculty collaborate across academic units to advance research and multidisciplinary innovation. From 2022-2024, CCI faculty co-authored articles with 21 faculty peers from other schools in the College and 43 FSU faculty members from external academic units.

Outside Their Unit 42

Outside The College 29

FSU Collaborators by Unit (20222024) Teacher Education 13.9%

Art History 2% Computer Science 11.9%

Statistics 2% Sociology 6.9%

Educational Psychology and Learning Systems 8.9%

Social Work 5%

Geography 5%

Source: Academic Analytics Benchmarking Tool (2025, March 26)

Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship 2%

Psychology 36.6% PAGE 22 INNOVATION BY COLLABORATION

Faculty Innovation & Research Activity Faculty Scholarship

CCI FACULTY RESEARCH SNAPSHOT 2022-2024 100

Federal Research Grants 2022-2024

90 86 80 77

74

Percentile Rankings

69 64

60

40

20

pe rF ac ul ty

Ar tic le s

D ol la rs G ra nt

G ra nt s

Co un t

Co un t Tr ia ls

SR I

0

N o. of Fa cu lty

$6.18M

College faculty research is funded by competitively awarded federal research grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as a robust portfolio of state, corporate, and foundation funding sources.

Source: Academic Analytics Benchmarking Tool (2025, March 26)

SUPPORTING INNOVATION The College supports innovation and advances in research and curriculum in tandem with rapidly advancing emerging technologies by: Prioritizing resources to equip faculty and staff with the necessary equipment and software to mirror industry standards.

Making curriculum adjustments and preparing students for a new, AI-engaged society.

Investing in faculty, staff, and student training to empower leadership in innovative research, teaching, and practice.

PAGE 23 FACULTY INNOVATION & RESEARCH ACTIVITY