Abstract                

This study, “University of Buea Students’ Appraisal of Communication Channels Used By The School Hierarchy,” was carried out with the objectives of identifying proposals on how to improve on the functions of the communication channels used in UB in informing the students, and to find out the extent to which the communication channels achieve the goals for which they are set.

The researcher used the Agenda- Setting Theory of Mass Communication (McCombs and Shaw, 1972-1973), to explain the relationship between the study and the field of communication. Data was gathered through a survey, using a well-designed and thoroughly scrutinized questionnaire, and the Random Probability Sampling technique was used to get respondents.

Findings from the field showed that amongst the numerous channels of communication used by the school hierarchy to inform the students, the use of notice boards was most preferred. Following that, the University hierarchy was advised to maintain the use of notice boards for information, since the students consider it as a sure medium of reach.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

According to the Biblical Book of Genesis, when God started creating the universe until he ended on the sixth day, He made use of the art of communication, thus, ordaining it as a very necessary tool to humanity.

American Sociologist and communication scholar, Harold Lasswel (1948), declared that communication takes place through a process he explained as “Who says what? to whom?, through what channel?, and with what effect?.

This, according to him, implied that communication must have an effect on the receiver, and without such effect, the message communicated is meaningless.

David Berlo, another communication scholar, supported Lasswell in the same year when he said “Communication has to result in mutual understanding of the ideas initiated by the sender of a message both by the receiver and sender”.

Jegger (2009), revealed that in communication, various channels are used to disseminate the messages, and they include fliers, leaflets, press releases, radio, television, internet, and telephones. Communication, www.askquestions.com states that “Communication channels are that media through which messages are transmitted to intended audiences. They also refer either to transmission media or logical connection over a multiplexed medium”.

The above definition of communication channels propagates that messages communicated must have a target audience. An evaluation is often used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of areas like enterprises, arts, criminal justice, organizations and institutions.

Information from the University of Buea’s website holds that some of the channels of communication that are used in the institution include newsletters, memoranda, bulletin boards, speech, radio, and the University’s website.

This source further explains that the name of the UB’s newsletter is The Buea University Newsletter, BUN, and was born thanks to the joint initiative of Dr. Hansel Ndumbe and one-time UB’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Dorothy Limunga Njeuma. Basically, the site holds, the BUN contains academic matters and other social aspects of the school, and memoranda, which are the plural form of a memorandum, are typical channels of downward communication in most institutions.

Memos in the University of Buea, it goes on, usually come from up or down depending on the nature of information with the most important ones coming from the Vice Chancellor’s secretariat. In addition, it stipulates that Bulletin boards, commonly known as notice boards, are used to pass out information of utmost importance to the students and such information usually range from continuous assessments timetables to suspension of lectures and timetable for end of semester examinations.

www.ubuea.net, also has it that newspaper is another channel of communication used in the institution. It mentions that The Chariot, which is the only newspaper publication of the University, is a production of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, JMC.

Further, with the advent of the computer and the internet, the institution uses its website, www.ubuea.net, to inform students and the public about happenings in school. In addition, the site holds that another emerging channel that is slowly but surely gaining ground in the institution is the “Students Update”, which tells students of tutorials and other matters of academic interest.

Again, it stipulates that the University’s teaching radio, Chariot Radio, Fm 93.5 is another important channel used to pass on information to the students, as the radio has slots allocated for announcements (12:15 pm and 5:30 pm daily) and also runs a news flash and a full newscast on weekdays at noon and at 6:00 pm respectively, culminating with news magazines every Saturday at noon, all in a bid to keep the students well informed.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

With the emergence of various communication channels, it is incumbent for every institution to have better channels of communication. (Zerbo, 2013).

In another dimension, McLuhan (2011), commented that communication in contemporary times is in its highest trend, and if it has never been so important before, then now is the time it really has to be as a result of the digital age in which society is, and man’s high dependence on easy transmission and receiving of information.

Bearing in mind that a higher institution like the University of Buea is perceived to be a marketplace of ideas and knowledge, it has come to the knowledge of the researcher that information between the school hierarchy and the students do not seem to flow well.

For instance, the students complain about the porous nature of the communication channels used by the school hierarchy, which they say causes them not to receive some of the information in time or not receive it at all.

These problems plague the students despite the fact that there exist several means of communication on campuses such as radio, posters, flyers, and the recent student’s update.

This, therefore, is the problem that triggered this research, as it seeks to find out what means of communication is the best to be used by the school hierarchy to give information to the students.

1.3  Research Question

To what extent are the communication channels used by authorities of the University of Buea effective in the dissemination of information to students?

1.4 Hypothesis

The University of Buea hierarchy uses more notice boards to disseminate information to students.

1.5 Objectives of the Study

This work aims at identifying proposals on how to improve the functions of the communication channels used in UB in informing the students.

This research is also intended to find out the extent to which the communication channels achieve the goals for which they are set.

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