Not just business as usual

“Most of us are problem solvers, so when we come to campus, that’s what we want to do,” said board member Liz Mathis, a news anchor for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids.

Members of the Professional Advisory Board met on Friday, Sept. 10 to discuss the future and direction of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in the Adler Building. J-MC Director Pam Creedon led board members and faculty in a review of the strengths and weaknesses the School has encountered since the 1997 self-study and accreditation.

The Professional Advisory Board discussed three main issues: diversity in the undergraduate program, the viability of the Masters Professional (MAP) program and the future of some course offerings once the school moves to the new Adler Building in January.

The minority student recruitment program was the first issue under the scrutiny of the board. Diversity numbers within the J-MC School student body have dropped, but Creedon noted this was consistent with the university-wide trend.

Her issue of concern was the absence of Hispanic students in the undergraduate program. The board suggested implementing minority-specific scholarships to aid in recruitment success.

Vanessa Shelton, director of the summer journalism workshops, described the current Summer Journalism Academy and its outreach to minority students in Eastern Iowa. The program aims to “build a bridge between elementary school and high school,” Shelton said.

The program currently has a 50 percent rate of minority participation, and a matriculation rate of 25 percent from elementary to high school. Without a scholarship, the UI J-MC School has lost bright students from this program to other colleges, Shelton said.

Recruitment for the MAP program was another issue discussed by the board. Carolyn Dyer, director of graduate studies, addressed the issue of there being too few courses offered specifically to MAP students.

Dyer explained that the school is committed to offering more advanced writing courses geared specifically to MAP students.

The goal is to offer at least one MAP oriented class each semester. In addition, Dyer proposed using discretionary funds to pay the way for recruit’s campus visits.

“People from the East and West coasts think Iowa is somewhere near Mars,” Dyer said.

A complimentary campus visit would clarify any misconceptions recruits might have about Iowa.

The board also asked questions about the future of two facilities once the transition was made into the Adler Building. Specifically, board members questioned Creedon as to why the wet photography lab and the typography lab were not included in the Adler Building.

Board members were divided on the necessity of the wet lab and typography lab to the integrity of the J-MC School. The J-MC School is recognized as the premier fine printing school with Professor Kay Amert teaching typography. Board member George Shirk, editor of Mammoth Monthly, expressed the sentiment that both labs were integral to creative design.

On the other side of the debate was the feeling that the technology was all but obsolete in real world application. Instead, the wet lab and printing press would be part of historical education.

“Let’s face it, things evolve,” said Les Landes, principal of Leadership By Design, Inc.

Creedon explained that the provisions for those facilities had not been integrated into the building’s initial plan and they would remain in the Communications Center. She assured the board these facilities would be relocated when the Communications Center is renovated or torn down.

The current structure of the undergraduate program was also discussed. The school prides itself in allowing students to experience all fields of journalism rather than having to adhere to a program track.

“The key to our curriculum is good advising and good teaching,” Creedon said.

“We believe the old model of tightly structured sequences does not provide the best preparation for today’s careers.”

J-MC School professors Stacey Cone, John Bennett and adjunct instructor Charles Munro addressed the board on the changes they implemented in the electronic media coursework. Students now must take Broadcast Reporting and Writing concurrent to the workshop class.

“We need to do a lot more of exposing students to the idea that some of these concepts overlap,” Munro said.

While the board had many constructive suggestions, they also acknowledged multiple strengths.

Strengths for the school included the introduction of the student-learning portfolio and the implementation of the “Iowa Dozen.”

Both reinforce professionalism in students and faculty of the J-MC School.
The J-MC School ascribes to the evaluation criteria established by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, or ACEJMC.

The “Iowa Dozen” was derived from the standards for accreditation set by the ACEJMC.

—Ashley Switalski

• Professional Advisory Board Members