Student Affairs has created a new department at Saint Xavier University. The Department of Student Media, consisting of The Xavierite newspaper and WXAV 88.3 F.M., was launched in early January.
According to Vice President for Student Affairs John Pelrine, the department was created to distinguish the two student media outlets from other student organizations. Previously, the outlets had fallen under the authority of Campus Life, which oversees most other student groups and activities.
“The newspaper and radio are really small businesses,” Pelrine said. “I wanted the new department to reflect the specialty of student media.”
Furthermore, Pelrine believes the department’s future is interconnected with the Department of Communication. He hopes to one day bridge the current gap between the academic side of communication at Saint Xavier and the extracurricular side.
“Hopefully the radio and newspaper will be able to support the curriculum in the communication department and vice versa,” Pelrine says. One potential idea he offers is to place communication students into radio and/or newspaper positions as part of their course requirements to supplement their learning and give them practical experience.
Peter Kreten, Student Media’s director, believes his new department is a positive step forward. “It’s going to enable our media outlets to continue their growth and development and help them stay current with industry standards.”
As the new director, Kreten is taking a student-centered approach to running the department. “I want to continue to foster the growth of all the students involved in student media,” Kreten says. “By the time they leave, I want them to have a strong portfolio that will help them obtain employment.”
Additionally, Kreten hopes that the department will give The Xavierite and WXAV greater exposure in the university community and increase student interest in them. When asked what specific plans or changes he has for student media on campus, Kreten responded, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”