The approach for the next dean of the College of Communication, Information and Media should be to make sure that the college's programs are finalized, resolved and done well, the first candidate for the position said Thursday afternoon.
During an open forum at Bracken Library, Jon Petrovich, former executive vice president of Sony Pictures Television International, said his goal as CCIM dean would be for faculty to keep the college's projects going and to find opportunities to develop them into other programs.
"It's important for you to ask yourself, 'Am I really preparing my students for the 21st century?'" Petrovich said.
Since former dean Scott Olson left to become senior vice president at Minnesota State University at Mankato last year, the Dean Search Committee has been in the process of filling the vacancy.
Petrovich said he has long aspired to work in academia and likes how Ball State is not research-oriented, as many other universities are.
"Ball State has an applied program I think that I would adjust and thrive in," he said.
Before working at Sony, Petrovich was president of Turner Broadcasting Latin America and also served as executive vice president for CNN. Petrovich said he left Sony in May because he was ready to move on.
After touring the campus for the past two days, the candidate said he likes Ball State's emphasis on convergence of the print and broadcast media and also appreciates how the faculty works together for the best interest of its students.
"I believe in blend. I believe there should be chemistry," Petrovich said. "I do like (faculty) responding, commenting and challenging one another."
Petrovich said he also likes the Department of Journalism's internship program and would like the Department of Telecommunications to also have one.
Despite the strengths of the College of Communication, Information and Media, he said he would like Ball State to be more confident in its programs, since they share similarities with those of Indiana University and other larger schools.
"I think there's a sense of a stigma that you are Ball State and that you're in Muncie, Ind., and that you're between two cornfields," Petrovich said. "I think you need to be a little more loyal to the strengths of Ball State."
When asked about his goal for the college's graduate program, Petrovich said he would like faculty to know how to refine undergraduate students that become graduate students, thus making them more in tune to what they will face in the business world.
Undergraduate students should, however, go out and work a couple of years before going back to graduate school, he said.
"You'll really have a value as to why you want to go back to school and what you want to get from that," Petrovich said.
With more than 35 years of experience in business, Petrovich said he wants to have a sense of self-worth and accomplishment after having a position as dean of the College of Communication, Information and Media.
"What motivated me to do well is those people at the university level that kicked me in the pants, sat me down and made me have objectives," Petrovich said. "(They) sponsored me, made me do things, and they were inquisitive, and you want to pass this on."
Graduate student Beth Montagno said she liked how Petrovich combined his corporate experience with how he thought it would benefit Ball State.
"I'm a big fan of people in our college who have experience in the world instead of just academics," Montagno said. "It's good to have people who have connections and know the business world."
Nancy Carlson, chairwoman of the Department of Telecommunications, said she also liked how Petrovich's industry knowledge would benefit students.
"He has a go-to attitude of someone who is a corporate executive, which is a real strength for him," Carlson said.
The second dean candidate, Roy Moore, will speak during an open forum 3 p.m. Wednesday at Bracken Library Room 225.
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