A “little switch” took place in NIU’s department of communicative disorders, according to the new department chair.

Earl Seaver will replace James Andrews as the new department of communicative disorders chairman, while Andrews will take over Seaver’s former position as clinical services director. Andrews will be responsible for administration of NIU’s Speech and Hearing Clinic.

Andrews said he resigned because he wanted to do something different. He was department chairman for almost eleven years.

“I thought I could make contributions to the Speech and Hearing Clinic,” he said.

Seaver said he was happy to be selected for the position and lucky to be working with the communicative disorders staff. “I have an excellent, mature staff to work with,” Seaver said.

He said his biggest plan for the future is a proposal that will allow his staff to earn their doctorates in communicative disorders. It will be broken down into three areas: speech-language pathology, audiology and rehabilitation counseling, he said.

“The proposal is in a preparation state right now. Specific guidelines will not be set until Fiscal Year 1992.”

Seaver came to NIU in 1975, and in 1979 was promoted to clinical services director and has been speech, language and pathology coordinator since 1989.

He is the association secretary of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and also secretary and board member of the Cleft Palate Foundation.

Seaver is a teaching associate at the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine in Rockford and has been a visiting research associate in the University of Chicago’s department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

James Lankford, professional studies acting dean, said “I have complete confidence in his decision-making and I am looking forward to working with him.”