Journalism department reconsidering temporary accreditation after meeting

Journalism faculty are now considering accepting the provisional accreditation status they were recommended for in November, pending sufficient support from the administration.

The decision was made Wednesday when the department gathered to receive any input from attending students.

Last semester, after evaluation, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications found the department out of compliance on diversity and assessment standards.

The department recently decided to move forward without the status because of ACEJMC’s 44 credit hour restriction on journalism courses, which makes offering new media classes difficult.

The decision was met with an outcry from students wishing to remain in an accredited school, the body’s motion to reconsider was approved.

“This is a good opportunity for students to participate in getting resources that will benefit them,” said Alice Tait, professor of journalism. “I’ve never heard students be so clear about anything before.”

Under provisional accreditation status, the journalism department would have two years to mend the two standards it fell short on.

But the departments is short at least three full-time faculty members and lacks of support staff, Tait said. Additional resources are a must.

“I think the administration will respond to the appropriate approaches,” she said, regarding the doubt some of her colleagues have in actually receiving further aid.

The journalism industry’s push for multimedia news delivery has caused schools like CMU to incorporate new media classes in its curriculum.

Jiafei Yin, professor of journalism and current deputizing chairwoman, said re-configuration of the curriculum means having to “squeeze in” additional classes to remain consistent with the 44-credit hour standard, while keeping the core classes necessary for students.

“For a lot of faculty, we don’t like that,” Yin said. “It’s a whole different ball game. We’re hoping to bring in a consultant to do that.”

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