Journalism cuts unconscionable

CMU’s journalism department prides itself on being one of two accredited schools in the state. In fact, it is often a selling point to prospective students.

So why is the College of Communication and Fine Arts putting that prestigious asset in jeopardy?

The CCFA instructed the journalism department to eliminate two advertising classes for the spring semester — one week before final exams; enrollment reached capacity in one and was near capacity in the other.

In addition, the dean’s office has demanded that the journalism department raise the cap on enrollment of alternate sections of these two classes, respectively. However, doing so would be in direct violation of the accrediting standards of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. CMU will seek re-accreditation in 2003.

The dean’s office claims that the problem is budgetary. Then why can’t the department’s carryover funds of more than $199,000 from last year be used to cover the part-time staffers’ salaries that would be teaching these two classes?

Oh, by the way, the other departments in CCFA — broadcasting and cinematic arts, music, speech communication and dramatic arts — have not received any requests to eliminate classes for next semester. If the dean’s office is experiencing such a severe budgetary crisis, then why is the solution found in only one department and not shared by all?

Ignoring the bureaucracy for a moment, what happens to the students who are enrolled in these soon-to-be-tossed-out-like-a-bag-of-trash classes?

The journalism department was informed the week before finals to cut the classes. How does the dean’s office expect to break the news to these students? With less than a week to go, how are students expected to rearrange their schedules? Even if the enrollment cap is lifted on the alternate sections, does the dean’s office honestly think that those times will automatically fit into the students’ schedules?

Why was this request not made prior to the distribution of Central’s class scheduling book? Why did Dean Sue Ann Martin wait until the 11th hour?

The sad fact is that the students, again, will pay the ultimate price for the shoddy decisions made by the bureaucrats. And the students will be left with countless unanswered questions.

But, then again, what else is new?