(Baton Rouge) – As part of its commitment to LSU’s Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC) initiative, the College of Art+Design is pleased to announce the opening of its communication studio, which is among the first of its kind on campus. Located on the first floor of the design building, the studio offers instructional support and technology to assist students as they develop their communication skills in the art and design disciplines.

The communication studio, where students can hone their writing skills, features eight state-of-the-art computer stations, equipped with graphics and word processing software. It also houses a mini production studio, where students can strengthen their oral communication skills by video taping presentations and participating in international teleconferences. Doctoral candidate Lisa Flanagan, a specialist in oral presentation skills, is the studio director.

“We see this as a huge and wonderful opportunity for our students,” said Marchita Mauck, associate dean in the College of Art+Design, who is spearheading the College’s CxC efforts.

The College of Art+Design has been at the forefront of the CXC effort since it began. Under the leadership of Dean David Conrath, the College is participating with the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering in a $247,000 grant to develop communication studios. Only those three colleges currently have studios.

In addition to the opening of the studio, the College of Art+Design is moving forward with plans to become the first college in the University to enable all eligible students to be certified at graduation as “high-level communicators”. This certification program, the first of its kind nationally, is designed to recognize students who meet the highest standards for communication in CxC’s four areas of emphasis – written, oral, visual and technological.

By the end of this academic year, the College of Art+Design intends to have a strategic selection of courses for certification in each academic program. That way, students can pursue CXC certification within their particular programs and without having to go outside of the College to take CXC-certified courses.

“What we’re trying to do is make it possible for students to fulfill the requirements within their professional programs,” said Mauck.

Communication Across the Curriculum is a two-year-old program that is part of LSU’s National Flagship Agenda. It seeks to improve the communication skills of undergraduate students by incorporating intensive communication training into their course work.

“We’re thrilled to be launching our studio and really committed to giving our students the opportunity to have this higher level of communication skills,” Mauck said.

The College of Art+Design communication studio is located at 104A in the Design Building. Hours are: Monday 11 AM-3 PM; Tuesday 10 AM-1 PM; Wednesday 11 AM – 2 PM and Thursday 10 AM-3 PM.

For more information call: 225-578-1197