By James Laird | Reporter
The department of communication at Baylor is set to move out of Castellaw Communications Building in the summer of 2025. The department received new space in Morrison Hall on the second and third floors of the building complete with classroom and office accommodations.
With over 750 students in the communication major and about a 100 more with the minor, the department needed space after sharing Castellaw with the departments of journalism, public relations and new media and film and digital media, Dr. Blair Browning, professor and communication department chair, said.
“We’ll all be together, and we’ll have a space where our students can still come to one place and know that they’re going to be able to find their faculty,” Browning said. “So we’re really excited about the move.”
Browning said coordinating a big move like this is always tricky as a leader when trying to assign classrooms and offices. The communication department decided to handle new assignments off of seniority and time at Baylor.
“Everyone’s kind of secure now, even though we’re not over there, and they kind of know where they’re going, and so we’ll do that this summer,” Browning said.
Browning said the groundwork for the department’s move has been laid over a long period of time. All the departments in Castellaw have been requesting more space for a while and hoped to be considered when new space opened up, Browning said.
“I think the groundwork had been laid for several years, just making sure the dean knew that … if a spot came available we could certainly use it,” Browning said.
Once the decision was made, the communication department found out about five weeks ago and will begin the move in May. Browning said that the department is very excited, but it will be a quick process.
Waco sophomore Sofia Pirrello, a communication student, said that she is excited for the move and to have more space for the department. Pirrello said there was definitely a need for more space and set offices for professors.
“With film professors and communication professors, they kind of have to work together on who’s going to be where at what time,” Pirrello said. “So being in Morrison is really going to help with that because it’s going to be such a bigger space and it’s going to make everything easier on everyone.”
Pirrello said one positive of having a smaller building was everyone gets to know each other. She also said the communication department is “super close-knit” and credited Castellaw for helping with that.
“I am sad to see it move because I do have three semesters of experience with [Castellaw] and there’s just so many fun little core memories that were made there,” Pirrello said. “But overall, I think it’s a positive. I’m excited.”
Browning believes this move will have a positive impact for all parties involved and will especially benefit the students.
“We’re so grateful that the dean and the provost made that space available, and we’re so excited to be in the heart of campus,” Browning said.
