Letter: Journalism credential counts

In recent weeks, Central Michigan Life has reported the journalism department is considering ending its status as a nationally accredited program.

As the journalism department’s longest-serving faculty member at 35 years, and as chair of the department at the time when the department was first accredited, I would ask the department to reflect further before proceeding.

Ending its accredited status would result in serious consequences for past, present and future students, as well as the university, the state of Michigan and the nation.

All are negative, none positive.

The attainment of national recognition and accreditation in 1997 required the work of dozens of faculty and students over a 20-year period.

Accreditation demonstrated CMU’s journalism program was among the best in the country, equal to larger and more well-known universities. Graduates enjoy high placement levels all across the country. Even in the West, where I now live, media processionals have a positive perception of CMU journalism.

Graduates have achieved prominence in national media. The newest member of the Board of Trustees is a journalism graduate. The chair of the Board of Trustees also graduated in journalism.

The Accreditation Council maintains high standards. These standards have been created by academic and media professionals. Over the years, these criteria have been reviewed and revised to reflect contemporary circumstances.

These standards serve students by providing guidance of what excellence in journalism education should be.

Without accreditation, CMU is just one more communications program.

I attended accrediting council meetings all over the country for a two-year period, albeit a few years ago. There is nothing unusual about provisional accreditation. I have seen some of the most prominent journalism programs in the country being asked to give more attention to certain standards. Diversity and assessment are among the most common reasons for assigning a provisional status.

I’m confident the college and the university will offer assistance to the department in meeting these standards.

There is no good reason to dump accreditation.

Jerry Fitzhenry

Professor emeritus of journalism