Life sciences communication welcomes student radio station

This fall, the Department of Life Sciences Communication welcomed WSUM, the university’s student-run radio station, and its 150 student volunteers to the department. After a year of planning, WSUM moved its administrative home to life sciences communication. Although the station will still operate from its location on State Street, it is now part of the department.

Previously housed in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, WSUM began to look for a new home after Jim Hoyt and Jack Mitchell, the station’s faculty advisers in journalism, retired. Patty Loew, associate professor in life sciences communication, took over that role and currently chairs the station’s governance board.

In addition to a faculty change, the department has always had a strong radio program, according to professor emeritus and public radio host Larry Meiller.

“WSUM approached our department because we’re still teaching broadcast and techniques classes,” Meiller says. “Because we teach those classes and because the liaison role went to Patty, it made sense for our department to take over and be the home department for the station.”

Meiller, who teaches the radio course in life sciences communication with teaching assistant Juli Hinds, hopes to develop a lot in the way of curriculum through this new relationship. Already, 120 students within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences complete the radio course each year.

“I’m finding that students from all areas of study are developing an interest in communication, and specifically in radio,” Meiller says. “The relationship with WSUM will give those students an additional opportunity to go beyond what we offer in the classroom.”

Meiller would like to offer an independent study for students who want to continue their radio training at WSUM after completing the course. He also hopes to develop programming in the course that can be used on-air at the station. Conversely, students at WSUM can enroll in the radio course to hone their radio skills.

Although much of the effort at WSUM goes into on-air production, Loew says that students interested in marketing and promotions stay busy at the station as well.

“We have students trained in marketing, and we hope that WSUM sees us as a resource to help build their audience,” she says. The department will help with the station’s book keeping as well, and Loew says that the department can offer skills to help the station become more financially secure.

The station also focuses on community outreach by working with middle- and high-school students, hosting an annual “Party in the Park” concert, and even sponsors a little league baseball team called the Radiators.

“Our academic mission fits with WSUM’s outreach mission,” Loew says, adding, “That outreach mission is very important to us.”

As part of the move, WSUM’s general manager, Dave Black, will have a courtesy appointment in the department. Black and Meiller have had a long relationship. Both served on the committee that organized the effort to bring WSUM to life, and have worked together to produce additional radio classes.

“Without Dave Black, there wouldn’t be a radio station,” Meiller says. “He’s done a wonderful job of organizing students and helping to create a welcoming climate. It was Dave’s mentoring that got the station organized to be able to achieve that goal.”

Black started working on the WSUM project in 1993. After working for several commercial stations on the West Coast, Black came to the university to work toward his Ph.D., but says that the radio station soon became his life.

“We’ve got a really dedicated staff,” Black says. “Everyone is very passionate about what they do and really go above and beyond.”

With more than 150 student volunteers at the station and programming that runs almost nonstop, an executive management team of 10 students and Black work diligently to keep the station running smoothly and create a sense of community amongst its members.

Michelle Koffel, the student station manager at WSUM, heads the executive management team. She hosts “On Wisconsin,” a weekly talk program on which she interviews guests regarding campus and community issues.

“Personally, I think you’re not going to find anything else like WSUM,” Koffel says. “We really have something special to offer the university and UW students.”

The station itself has an eclectic personality that reflects its members. With rock posters plastered on the walls, retro sofas and music magazines and CDs scattered throughout, the State Street studio is everything you’d expect of a college radio station. Broadcasting at 91.7FM, the station aims to provide alternative programming and follows the motto, “innovative radio for independent minds.”

Not long after WSUM gets settled in life sciences communication, the station will make another move. Earlier this year, construction began on University Square on the corner of Lake Street and University Avenue. The new building, which includes space for student organization offices, will house WSUM’s new studio as well.

Although the move to the life sciences communication department will bring about changes to the department and the station, Loew says that the most important thing is not to mess with success.

“This is an organization run by students for students,” she says. “We want to create an environment for them that is positive and nurturing for them to be who they are.”