CU’s journalism school to be discontinued, future of new program uncertain

Associate Vice Chancellor and Chair of the Program Discontinuance Committee Jeff Cox announces the Committee's recommendations in the Old Main Chapel Wednesday afternoon. The committee recommended that the School of Journalism and Mass Communication be strategically realigned. (CU Independent/Lee Pruitt)

Faculty and students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication are still digesting CU’s Program Discontinuance Committee’s recent report, recommending a strategic realignment.

Jeff Cox, the chair of the Program Discontinuance Committee and the associate vice chancellor, said he thinks it is likely staff and students will have more reactions as time progresses.

“It is difficult to receive a lengthy document and have something to say,” Cox said.

Cox said he thinks the limited amount of questions at the committee’s presentation may have been due to a faculty meeting held prior to the public announcement, which allowed staff and faculty to ask questions.

SJMC faculty member Sandra Fish asked at the public meeting what she should tell students that wish to apply to the journalism school.

Cox said that CU is committed to honoring all students admitted or pre-admitted into the school of journalism with the completion of their degrees and that the structural changes will not lessen the integrity of their degrees.

During the public meeting, advertising major Eliza Magdelinski asked how the announcement could affect her degree.

“The change of the structure does not diminish what students did in the past … it does not make them de-qualified,” Cox said.

Jenny Dean, a mass communication graduate student, said that while she felt the school needs realignment, it is difficult to judge the program’s future.

“I think there is structure that needs to be done, but it’s hard to make a true judgment at the moment before we see the full picture,” Dean said.

Cox said he encourages those with questions to submit their input online, which will be passed on to the exploratory committee.

The Exploratory Committee on Information, Communication and Technology is researching academic paths for the new program for its preliminary report, due to the provost on Dec. 31, according to a Vital Academic Student E-mail.

The school’s Advisory Board Chairman John Leach said the board is preparing to write a letter “fairly soon” to the Exploratory Committee, which will state what the board hopes to be included in the future program.

“[This letter] will flush out about where we would see where that new school would be going,” Leach said.

While the Discontinuance Committee has run its course, Cox said there is still much to be done in the overall recommendation process.

“It’s one step in a long process,” Cox said.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at [email protected].