By Pablo Gonzales | Assistant News Editor
The department of communication is one of the fastest growing departments on campus. With over 400 communication majors, it can be tricky trying to navigate through the department.
The communications coalition of minority students (CCOMS) serves to provide a place for minority communications majors to find community and build leadership skills.
Dr. Rosalind Kennerson-Baty, CCOMS adviser and senior lecturer in the department of communication, believes that CCOMS creates a space where minority students can build community with activities and events with like-minded people with similar experiences as well as bring fellowship for minority students both inside and outside the department of communication.
“CCOMS is a place where students can feel supported and connected,” Kennerson-Baty said. “Students can talk about minority issues that are relevant to the minority community, but also be visible in ways beyond the traditional or stereotypical roles that minority students that are in predominantly white institutions are reduced to.”
CCOMS hosts events and activites for students to participate in, to help them become more involved in the department of communication. CCOMS also hosts events for the Baylor community as well.
Most recently, CCOMS hosted the “No More” panel last spring. This panel was a forum on the culture of victim shaming surrounding sexual assault. Panelists included Kristan Tucker, Title IX coordinator at Baylor, two psychologists and a scholar on women and gender studies from the University of North Texas. According to Kennerson-Baty this panel brought a cross-section of experts on ways that students can be part of the solution to sexual assault on college campuses.
Bedford senior and president of CCOMS, Joi Siler, said she is pleased with the growth of CCOMS and the role that is plays in the department of communication.
“My favorite part of being president is definitely being able to make sure that all members voices are heard,” Siler said. “This is my third year in CCOMS and it is awesome to see how much it has grown.”
CCOMS has meetings every Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. in the lounge at the Castellaw Communications Center.
