University of Colorado Denver
Department of Communication
Difference Matters and Organizational Communication: Power in the Ivory Tower
CMMU 5250 001
Spring 2009 W 5:30 – 8:20 CN 213
Professor: Dr. Brenda J. Allen
Office Hours: W 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm, and by appointment
NC 5014J: 303-556-6713
Brenda.J.Allen@ucdenver.edu
Department Website: http://cudenver.edu/clas/communication
Course Description
This course will apply perspectives on power to investigate higher education-asorganization. We will engage in a variety of activities to explore the ideas that: we are
all located in intersectional systems and relations of work and power, and our routine
organizational communication in higher education contexts (re)produces those systems
and relations. Rather than view communication as one factor of modern organizational
life, we will approach our study from the perspective that communication constitutes
organizations. Moreover, we will emphasize the idea that power pervades all
communication. However, we will not view “power” as a four letter word! Instead, we
will actively explore positive consequences of power, as well as ways that we can
empower ourselves and others to accomplish our personal and professional goals.
Therefore, a primary premise of the course will be: Those who constitute an organization
are responsible for creating and changing communication systems associated with an
organization. Although members of an organization have different levels of power for
socially constructing its communication systems, everyone has at least some capacity to
change those systems.
This course will review concepts, theories, and research about power in
organizational communication studies and other disciplines to develop a comprehensive
framework for understanding power dynamics by studying higher education. We will
consider these dynamics as related to various micro-, meso-, and macro-level contexts,
from our specific course and classroom to the department, the college, the university, the
community, the discipline of communication, and beyond. To investigate these and other
issues, the course will draw on expertise and experiences of all class members to
conceptualize, design, implement, and evaluate course activities.
During the course, we will study higher education as political process and
product and consider how relations of power develop contextually rather than
universally. All members will engage in open collective self-analysis (as teachers,
students, and as a classroom community). We will focus on theoretical and practical
issues regarding relationships between communication processes in higher education
contexts and socially constructed aspects of identity, including gender, race, sexual
identity, social class, ability, age, and religion, and their intersections. Intersections of
these social identities matter because most individuals simultaneously occupy privileged
and nonprivileged social identity groups. Therefore, I will stress the ideas that social
identities are complex and multifaceted, and that intersections of social identity matter.
The course will focus on how systems of power and privilege help shape perceptions of
salient social identity groups within the United States, and how individuals and groups
resist and transform those systems. We also will investigate the role of discourse in
constructing social identity throughout the history of the United States. To study these
issues, we will rely on social construction, a theoretical perspective which basically
contends that humans create reality through interaction.
We also will study interpersonal interactions between and among members of
social identity groups in various educational contexts, language related to social identity
groups, and media depictions of social identity groups. Throughout the course, we will
explore ways that discourse produces, maintains, and/or resists systems of power and
inequality, especially as related to social identity and higher education. The course also
will delve into communication issues relevant to ways that we learn about social
identities from such sources as our families, the media, and organizations.
To explore these matters, we will take a critical approach, which means looking
for power dynamics, including ways that people comply with dominant ways or resist
power to change conditions in society. We also will self-consciously delve into our
personal perceptions, perspectives, and experiences as related to course materials. In
addition, we will discuss implications of our studies for social change.
We will analyze and discuss work from several disciplines, including
communication, sociology, organizational behavior, ethnic studies, psychology,
education, disability studies, and philosophy. Although we will consider diverse types of
organizations, such as corporations, non-profits, and media conglomerates, we will focus
on higher education.
We will explore how communication helps to create and sustain understandings
of ourselves in relationship to different and similar others in society and in
organizational contexts, especially in higher education. We will engage the term
‘organization’ as a noun and a verb by investigating how communication occurs in
organizations as well as how it functions to organize social and organizational
relationships.
Required Readings
Allen, B.J. (2004). Difference matters: Communicating social identity. IL: Waveland.
Additional readings on Blackboard. https://blackboard.cudenver.edu/ Please be sure to
post your current email address in your profile for the course.
Recommended Resources
Williams, J. M. (2002). Style: Ten lessons in clarity and grace (7th ed.). New York:
Longman. [available through online sources and local bookstores; OK to get an
earlier edition]
Check Blackboard for additional resources. Please send me any resources you’d like to
post.
Assignments and Evaluation TBD
Point Scale
Letter Grade
1000-950
A
900-949
ABelow 735
C870-899
B+
835-869
B
800-834
B770-799
C+
735-769
C
Grading System for Graduate Courses
A = Excellent
A- = Very good
B+ = Good
B = Satisfactory
Grades below B WILL NOT BE COUNTED toward the M.A. or M.S. degree
Department Mission Statement: To create a learning environment in which students
develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to use communication to create a
more civil and humane world. By civil and humane the department means a way of
communicating that is rooted in an acceptance and appreciation of others and that
involves communicating in ways that express respect for and acknowledgement of others
regardless of their station in life, wealth or lack of it, politics, religion, ethnicity, race, or
any other quality.
Department of Communication Incomplete Policy: Incomplete grades are not given to
students simply because they are receiving lower grades than they would like. To be
eligible for an incomplete grade, students must have completed 75% of the course
assignments with passing grades and have special circumstances outside their control that
preclude completion of the course. If the student does not complete the work for the
course within 12 months, the grade reverts to an F.
Plagiarism Policy: If a finding of plagiarism has been made by the instructor and by
other members of the communication graduate faculty, the student may be assigned a
failing grade in the course. At the discretion of the graduate faculty, the student may be
asked to leave the graduate program.
Religious Holiday Accommodations
Faculty in the University of Colorado system have both a legal and moral obligation to
provide reasonable accommodations to students who must be absent from classes because
of religious holidays. Faculty are expected to develop course-consistent accommodations
for students who miss class or graded assignments in order to observe religious holidays.
Faculty are encouraged to (1) avoid examinations during major religious holidays and (2)
ask students to privately identify all course conflicts at the beginning of the semester.
Disability Accommodations
Faculty in the University of Colorado system have both a legal and moral obligation to
provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. To be eligible for
accommodations, students must be registered with the UCDHSC Office of Disability
Resources and Services (AR 177, 303-556-3450, 303-556-4766 TDD). The DRS staff
has experience to assist faculty in determining reasonable accommodations to coordinate
these accommodations.
CLAS Incomplete (I) Policy
The faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences passed the following policy
relating to the awarding of Incomplete grades. This CLAS policy is consistent with the
CU-Denver campus policy.
Incomplete grades are not granted for low academic performance. To be
eligible for an Incomplete grade, students must (1) successfully complete 75
percent of the course, (2) have special circumstances (verification may be
required) that preclude the student from attending class and completing graded
assignments, and (3) make arrangements to complete missing assignments with
the original instructor. A CLAS Course Completion Agreement is strongly
suggested.
The CLAS Course Completion Agreement is available from the CLAS
Advising Office, NC 2024.
Academic Ethics Policies Students must adhere to the Academic Honor Code
and Policies as stated in the UCDHSC Catalog (also available on our
department website, under Student Resources)
Spring 2009 CLAS Academic Policies
The following policies pertain to all students and are strictly adhered to by the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).
 Every student MUST check and verify their schedule prior to the published
drop/add deadlines. Failure to verify a schedule is not sufficient reason to
justify a late add or drop later in the semester. It is the student’s responsibility
to make sure that their schedule is correct prior to the appropriate deadlines.
 CLAS students must use their email.cudenver.edu email address. Email is the
official method of communication for all University of Colorado Denver
business. All email correspondence will take place using your UCDHSC email
address. Go to http://www.cudenver.edu/registrar to update and/or change your
email address.
 Students are NOT automatically added to a course off a wait list after wait
lists are dropped. If a student is told by a faculty member that they will be
added off the wait list, it is the responsibility of the student to complete the
proper paperwork to add a course.
 Students are not automatically notified if they are added to a class from a waitlist. Again, it is the responsibility of the student to verify their schedule prior to
any official dates to drop or add courses.

Students must complete and submit a drop/add form to make any schedule
changes. Students are not automatically dropped from a class if they never
attended, stopped attending or do not make tuition payments.
 Late adds will be approved only when circumstances surrounding the late add
are beyond the student’s control and can be documented independently. This
will require a petition and documentation from the student. Late adds will only
be approved if the student has not taken any exams, quizzes, or has not
completed any other graded assignments. Independent verification of this from
the professor of record will be required. Please note that the signature of a
faculty member on an add form does not guarantee that a late add petition will
be approved. Petitions are available in NC 2024.
 Late drops will be approved only when circumstances surrounding the late drop
have arisen after the published drop deadlines, are beyond the student’s
control, and can be documented independently. This will require a petition and
documentation from the student. Pre-existing circumstances (circumstances
that existed prior to the published drop deadlines) regarding illness, work,
family, or other confounding issues will not be considered adequate reason to
drop or withdraw from courses after the published University and/or College
drop deadlines. Please note that the signature of a faculty member does not
guarantee that a late drop petition will be approved. Petitions are available in
NC 2024.
 Undergraduate students wishing to graduate in spring of 2009 must meet
with their academic advisor by the end of the drop/add period to obtain a
graduation application. This application must be completed and submitted by 5
PM on February 4, 2009. You can obtain an application ONLY after meeting
with your academic advisor. There are no exceptions to this policy or date.
 Graduate students wishing to graduate in spring semester 2009 must
complete their Intent to Graduate form and have a Request for Admissions to
Candidacy on file with the CLAS Dean’s office no later than 5 PM, February
4, 2009.
 Students are responsible for completing financial arrangements with financial
aid, family, scholarships, etc. to pay their tuition. Students will be responsible
for all tuition and fees for courses they do not officially drop using proper
drop/add procedures and forms.
Students who drop after the published drop/add period will not be eligible for a
refund of the COF hours or tuition.




Important Dates
January 20, 2009: First day of Class
January 25, 2009: Last day to be added to a wait list using the SMART
system.
January 25, 2009: Last day to add a course using the SMART system.
January 27-February 4, 2009: Students are responsible for verifying an
accurate spring 2009 course schedule via the SMART registration system.
Students are NOT notified of their wait-list status by the university. All
















students must check their scheduled prior to February 4, 2009 for accuracy.
January 26, 2009: LAST DAY TO DROP WITHOUT DROP CHARGE.
January 26, 2009: Wait Lists are dropped. Any student who was not added
to a course automatically from the wait list by this date and time MUST
complete a drop/add form to be added to the class. Students are NOT
automatically added to the class from the wait list after this date and time. If
your name is not on the official student roster, you are not registered for the
course.
January 27, 2009: First day instructor may approve request to add a student to
a full course with a Schedule Adjustment Form.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to add structured courses without a
written petition for a late add. This is an absolute deadline and is treated as
such. This deadline does not apply to independent study, internships, project
hours, thesis hours, dissertation hours, and late-starting modular courses.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to drop a spring 2009 course with a
tuition adjustment minus the drop charge and no transcript notation. Drops
after this date will appear on your transcript. This is an absolute deadline and
is treated as such.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to completely withdraw from all spring
2009 courses with a tuition adjustment and no transcript notation. Drop charge
applies. Drops after this date will appear on your transcript. This is an
absolute deadline and is treated as such.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to request pass/fail option for a course.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to request a no credit option for a course.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to register for a Candidate for Degree.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to petition for a reduction in thesis or
dissertation hours.
February 4, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day to apply for spring 2009 graduation. You
must make an appointment and see your academic advisor before this date to
apply for graduation.
April 6, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day for non CLAS students to drop or withdraw
from all classes without a petition and special approval from the student’s
academic Dean. This is treated as an absolute deadline.
March 23-29, 2009: Spring Break.
April 20, 2009 at 5 PM: Last day for CLAS students to drop or withdraw
from all classes without a petition and special approval from the student’s
academic Dean. Students still need signatures from the faculty and Dean. This
is treated as an absolute deadline.
After April 20, 2009 all schedule changes require a petition. Petitions are
available in NC 2024.
No schedule changes will be granted once finals week has started. There are
NO exceptions to this policy.
Class Schedule [tentative]
January 20
Introductions and Course Overview
January 27
Course Orientation
Readings: Allen, Difference Matters [DM] ch. 1 & 2;
Johnson, Ch. 1 & 2
Gramsci [online: www.theory.org.uk/ctr-gram.htm]
February 4
Course Orientation [continued]
Readings: Zamudia, Rios, & Jaime
February 11
Social Class Matters
Readings: DM, Ch. 5; Yeskel; Martin;
February 18
Gender Matters
February 25
Race Matters
Readings: DM, Ch. 3; Castagno & Lee;
March 4
Sexuality Matters
March 11
Ability Matters
March 18
Age Matters
March 25
SPRING BREAK
April 1
April 8
April 15
April 22
April 29
May 6
Course Readings
Allen, B.J. (2005). Social constructionism. In: S. May & D. Mumby (Eds.) Engaging
organizational communication theory and research: Multiple perspectives (pp. 35-53).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Ashcraft, K. L., & Allen, B. J. The racial foundation of organizational communication.
Communication Theory 13: 5-33.
Magnus, S. A., & Mick, S. S. (2000). Medical schools, affirmative action, and the neglected
role of social class. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1197-1201.
Castagno, Angelina E. & Lee, Stacey J. (2007). Native Mascots and Ethnic Fraud in Higher
Education: Using Tribal Critical Race Theory and the Interest Convergence Principle as
an Analytic Tool. Equity & Excellence in Education, 40 (1), 3-13.
Johnson, Allan G. (2006). _Privilege, Power, and Difference
(Second Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Martin, Jonathan (2008). Pedagogy of the Alienated: Can Freirian Teaching Reach WorkingClass Students?. Equity & Excellence in Education, 41 (1), 31-44.
Mumby, D. (2001). Power and politics. In: F.M. Jablin & L. L. Putnam (Eds.) The new
handbook of organizational communication: Advances in theory, research, and methods
(pp. 585-623). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Nesbit. T. (2005). Social class and adult education. In: T. Nesbit (Ed.) Class concerns:
Adult education and social class (pp. 5-14). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Russ, T.L., Simonds, C.J., and Hunt, S.K. (2002). Coming out in the classroom…an
occupational hazard? The influence of sexual orientation on teacher credibility and
perceived student learning. Communication Education, 51, 311-324.
Segura, D. (2003). Navigating between two worlds: The labyrinth of Chicana intellectual
production in the academy. Journal of Black Studies, 34, 28-51.
Tovares, R. (2002). Mascot matters: Race, history, and the University of North Dakota's
"fighting Sioux" logo. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 26, 76-94.
Yep, G. A. (2002). My three cultures: Navigating the multicultural identity landscape.
In: Readings in intercultural communication: Experiences and contexts (pp.60-66).
Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Yeskel, Felice (2008). Coming to Class: Looking at Education through the Lens of Class
Introduction to the Class and Education Special Issue. Equity & Excellence in
Education, 41 (1), 1-11.
Zamudio, Margaret, Rios, Francisco & Jaime, Angela M. (2008). Thinking
Critically about Difference: Analytical Tools for the 21st Century. Equity &
Excellence in Education, 41 (2), 215-229.