School of mass communications may be renamed

Edit: Jan. 23, 9:15 p.m.: VCU-TV/HD is not a precursor to the School of Mass Communications’ InSight broadcast program. According to InSight’s current director, Tim Bajkiewicz, InSight was actually started by current mass communications faculty member Clarence Thomas and former faculty members Paula Otto and Deb Wenger. VCU-TV/HD actually had no official affiliation with the School besides sharing space in the Temple building.

Mechelle Hankerson
Executive Editor

VCU’s School of Mass Communications may be renamed after receiving a $10 million donation.

In a December meeting with faculty, donor Richard “Dick” Robertson, told mass communications faculty he would be donating a large gift and a new name for the school was being considered.

Faculty members would not go on the record because the university has not officially announced the donation, but did confirm they were told the school could be renamed the Robertson School of Media and Culture.

The new name would be the first academic department to be named after a donor. Although the Wilder School of Government and Affairs is named after Virginia’s first black governor, it is not because of any donations Wilder made to the school.

The school of mass communications is 42 years old and has had the same name since its beginning.

Robertson’s donation has not been announced by the university and details are expected to be confirmed and released in the coming weeks.

Robertson is a former member of the Board of Visitors and is the former president of Warner Brothers Domestic Television. He oversaw the syndication of programs like Rosie O’Donnell’s daytime television show on the OWN network, “The People’s Court” and “Friends.” He previously sponsored as scholarship program through the school of mass communications that allowed students to intern at Warner Brothers for two weeks. He also spearheaded VCU-TV/HD, a student-run television channel.

Robertson served as a member of VCU’s Board of Visitors from 2003-2007. He currently serves as the chair of the school of mass communications’ advisory board.

Right now, the details of the donation are not finalized and any name changes have to be approved by the Board of Visitors in either February or May.