Your beginning statement about never reading the missions statement of your university made me think–neither have I and I don’t know anyone who has. But I also feel that I am a great fit at my university and share not only the universities values but my department and my individual professors values as well. When I have talked about students who have transferred schools because they weren’t a good fit, I don’t know if them reading the statement before they accepted or even before they applied would have made a difference. Unless you visit a school and talk to the professors, faculty, and students, the actual differences among schools isn’t always obvious. Even the missions statements we read in class often referenced the same things. Although I do think missions statements are important, I wonder who exactly this statement is written for.

I believe interdisciplinary work should be more encouraged in academia and research. I am currently in the Communication Department, but my research contains psychology and human development as well. Even though I think this will really bring something new to this area of research, the COMM department wants everyone to stay focused on COMM journals and COMM researchers. Why should I limit myself just to COMM researchers and journals? Isn’t expanding the research the most important part?