2002 ~ 2006 |
THE PIONEERS
short of the goal of 100. In retrospect, it is to the credit
of the Monash Arts faculty that the appointments of
well-qualified and research-able faculty gained priority
over concern about student numbers at that time. The
continuing presence of these colleagues in SASS, the
staff growth, and the diversification and depth of the
undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum today is
testimony to the long-term wisdom of that priority.
▲ Pre-Graduation dinner
2003: (Left to Right)
Nurulashyikin Md Yunan,
Allison Craven, Lydia Koh.
14
On appointment, an urgent priority loomed: the
Lembaga Akreditasi Nasional (LAN) was scheduled
for November 2001. Painstaking preparation
took place over the preceding months with skillful
assistance from Adzha and Ng Beng Lean, the LAN
managers, Mrs Khoo Siew Mun, the Chief Librarian,
Robin Alfredson and others. Anna’s wondrous skills
were deployed in the documentation of the syllabus
which was then translated into Bahasa Malaysia.
The published course materials facilitated this
process, providing ready description of every aspect
of student learning in the specific units of study.
On the day of visitation by the accrediting panel,
when students and staff were assembled for interview,
some of the panel’s questions concerned the
suitability of the materials for the Malaysian context,
the limitations of pathways and choices for students,
and the overly-theoretical emphasis in Monash
curriculum. Yet, they were a supportive panel and
we overcame their concerns and were accredited.
Meanwhile, the staff visits to Melbourne got underway,
with Dr Pat Goon going first in 2001, and the others
over the ensuing two years (including Siew Gaik
and the Course Executive appointed later, Sasi
Balasingham). Post-accreditation, our staff steadily
grew, with the political scientist from Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia, Dr Tang Siew Mun joining
part-time to teach International Relations, and Dr
Sheila Muragasu teaching Journalism. Dr Yeoh Seng
Guan joined full-time in 2002; and Dr Sharon Bong
and Dr Andrew Ng Hock Soon were recruited in 2003.
While our staff swelled, the student numbers grew,
relatively, only a little to around 85 by 2004, and well
But curriculum growth was gradual early on. While
academic compliance was easily addressed through
a regime of assessment moderation, our initial efforts
to diversify and contextualise the course offerings
for Malaysia were largely frustrated, albeit our spirits
about this were jogged along by Harry’s intermittent
visits to KL and his staff lunches at the Pyramid.
On the upside, an earnest and dogged discussion
developed about an Honours program. Every
conversation seemed to culminate in an undertaking
to email someone in Melbourne, usually either Harry
or the tireless Associate Deans of Teaching, first
Professor David Garrioch, and later Dr Heinz Kreutz.
Their patient and unswerving support eventually
resulted, in 2003, the approval of an Honours
program. The two Honours coursework units were
the first original curriculum for Communication at
MUM. The first Honours candidates were: Wong Li Li,
Sudheesh Bhasi, Liew Shao Yi, Cheryl Ganeson, and
Tan Bee Choo. Three resulted in First-Class Honours.
Sudheesh went on to write a PhD at Macquarie
University in Sydney, and Shao Yi completed a
Masters of Community Development in the University
of the Philippines Diliman. The Honours program was,
no doubt, a crucial bridge to the later establishment
of postgraduate programs in Arts at MUM.
Aside from curriculum goals, the Coordinator’s role
was diverse and dynamic. In addition to teaching,
the Coordinator carried out the many administrative
functions, and course counselling and selection of
candidates for the Bachelor of Communication,
and representing Communication on MUM
committees, and the whirl of publicity and marketing
events of Open Days, Orientation, trade fairs and
roadshows. The big headache was in timing the