SyracuSe univerSity S.i. newhouSe School of Public communicationS fall 2007 vol. 19 no. 3 SyracuSe univerSity S.i. newhouSe School of Public communicationS fall 2007 vol. 19 no. 3 Dean in this issue: David M. Rubin Executive Editor Dean’s Column 1 Wendy S. Loughlin G’95 Newhouse III Dedication 2 Editor Carol L. Boll Year of the First Amendment 6 Contributors Jean Brooks First Amendment Scholars Program 7 Rob Enslin Shavon S. Greene ’10 2 Newhouse in New York 8 Kathleen Haley ’92 Jason Levy G’07 Agatha Lutoborski ’08 Executive Education 9 Kevin Morrow Christy Perry TRF Semester Study 10 George Thomas G’07 Nhouse Productions 11 Photography Steve Sartori Images of the South Side 12 Graphic Design Elizabeth Percival 7 Emergency Preparedness 14 Assistant Dean of External Relations Student News 15 Lynn A. Vanderhoek ’89 Mirror Awards 16 Office of External Relations Ivory Tower Goes Statewide 17 315-443-5711 Web Site Envi Magazine 17 newhouse.syr.edu 8 Faculty Briefs 18 On the cover: Newhouse III “ribbon-cutting” Lauren Pomerantz ’03 20 participants (from left) Stephanie Rivetz ’08, S.I. Newhouse Jr., William Kagler ’51 22 Victoria Newhouse, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., Chancellor Class Notes 23 Nancy Cantor, Donald Newhouse, Susan Newhouse, and Dean David Rubin 9 Newhouse III is now open. Students are finding their • Scholarship assistance. We are increasingly coziest hideaways for studying and socializing. The competing for students with Ivy League schools favorite food items at Food.com are becoming clear. and others with much larger endowments. To Faculty members and students are learning their way remain competitive for these students, we need around the new experimental newsroom. It’s time more endowed scholarships. now to catch our collective breath, take a week off, • An umbrella center for teaching and scholarship on and then look to the future. popular culture. In its various schools and colleges, That is precisely what the Newhouse family and Syracuse has the building blocks to be a leading foundation have done. They recognize that a building institution in the field of popular culture. New campaign can sap the energies (not to mention the donors could bring these disparate parts together wallets) of the school’s most loyal donors and in the SU Center on Popular Culture, which would volunteers. So to keep up the momentum built during hire visiting faculty, host speakers, stage symposia, the campaign, and to help the school plan for the publish books, sponsor screenings, and launch new future, the family announced November 2 that it interdisciplinary degree programs. had made a challenge grant of $10 million to the • A small Los Angeles campus. Many schools and Newhouse School, matching our fund raising two to colleges at SU would like to send students to L.A. one. If the school raises the full challenge amount for internships. But these students also need arts of $5 million, this will create resources in the and sciences coursework to maintain normal amount of $15 million. Why the November 2 date progress toward their degrees. We need a small for the announcement? Because that is the day the campus where they can take these courses. University publicly announced its new $1 billion fund- • Enhancements to Newhouse Plaza. Potted trees Dean’s Column raising campaign, of which this gift will be a part. As and benches strategically placed around the plaza one of Syracuse’s flagship schools, the Newhouse would increase its appeal as a public meeting School will play a key role in this campaign. space. If we succeed with this challenge grant, it will serve as a stimulus to the school’s new dean to In Newhouse III, we have an architectural gem. continue the fund-raising momentum, and it will It provides students with many nesting places provide funds to support his or her new initiatives. and opens up much new learning space. Like the (The search for my successor is under way, with the teaching and scholarship that occur daily throughout new dean expected to take the reins July 1, 2008.) Newhouse, this is a building that will stand the test of While I think it is a bit cheeky for an outgoing dean time, and of which we can all be immensely proud. to suggest needs and goals to his successor, I think there are a few areas this new fund could address. • Updating/remodeling of Studios A and B in Newhouse II. Both need to be brought into the digital and high-definition age. David M. Rubin Dean 1 By Carol l. Boll 2 With temperatures hovering near 80 degrees and sunny skies overhead, september 19 was a made-to-order day for the dedication of newhouse III—and a fitting bookend to the newhouse I dedication 43 years earlier. at that dedication, s.I. newhouse spoke of his desire to establish a three-building, world-class communications complex at syracuse university. The dedication of Newhouse “The new building III marked the culmination of that we dedicate properly that dream, and an estimated celebrates the words of the 2,500 people from the Univer- First Amendment,” Roberts sity and Syracuse communi- told the chapel audience, ties joined S.I. Newhouse Jr., which included such Donald Newhouse, their fami- notable alumni as Pulitzer lies, and guests to observe Prize-winning journalist the historic occasion. While William Safire ’51, H’78 and all eyes at the 1964 ceremony sportscaster Mike Tirico ’88. were on President Lyndon B. “They literally surround and Johnson—who used the event envelop those who will study to deliver what would become and work in the building. But known as the Gulf of Tonkin to those people, I would offer speech—the headliner this this caution: Do not think for Donald newhouse (left) and s.I. newhouse Jr. time around was Chief Justice a moment that those words of the United States John G. alone will protect you. … Roberts Jr. Without an independent courts have given the First independence, there can In a speech before a judiciary to give substance to Amendment’s inspirational be little doubt that the capacity crowd at Hendricks the constitutional text as law, words true vitality,” he said. First Amendment would be Chapel preceding the ribbon- the words are nothing but “Many of the decisions doing the first victim should the cutting ceremony, Roberts empty promises.” so protect unpopular speech. independence of our judiciary traced the historical sig- Roberts said while It is difficult to suppose that be curtailed.” nificance of constitutionally the First Amendment was those decisions would have At the conclusion of the guaranteed freedom of speech created to protect all speech, come out the same way if speech, the audience, led but cautioned against viewing an independent judiciary— the judges rendering them by the Syracuse University the First Amendment in isola- insulated from politics and were subject to political Ancient Drum Corps, tion. Without an independent public criticism by lifetime or popular pressure. … processed to the Newhouse judiciary, he said, such rights tenure—safeguards it in Whatever particular decision complex, where a crowd would mean little. a way popularly elected or decisions might prompt stood waiting in the sun to officials cannot. “The specific attack on judicial catch a glimpse of the chief 3 justice and witness the grand Inc., offered remarks on be- and without bias. Newhouse opening of SU’s newest half of the Newhouse family. III embodies the ideal of building. In his remarks, He recalled the 1964 dedica- freedom of the press.” Newhouse Dean David M. tion ceremony and his father’s Newhouse professor Rubin thanked all involved pride in the I.M. Pei-designed Jay Wright, representing the with the construction project, Newhouse I. Since then, he faculty, said the dedication most notably the Newhouse said, “the School of Public ceremony was all about the family and foundation, whose Communications has become students. “You’re going to $15 million gift launched an enormous success, and it have, I hope, many wonder- the construction project. “In is, today, one of the glories of ful memories here,” he said. November of 2005, we broke Syracuse University.” Citing “One of them will be that you ground,” Rubin said. “Now, the words of the First Amend- will forever be able to say, ‘I in record time, we have this ment that are etched 6 feet saw the chief justice of the United States, who cared enough about the future of “You [students] are going to have, I hope, communications education and freedom of expression to many wonderful memories here. one of come here and share the mo- ment.’ And don’t forget it was them will be that you will forever be able a beautiful day.” Other speakers included to say ‘I saw the chief justice of the united Stephanie Rivetz ’08; Chan- cellor Nancy Cantor; and Chief states, who cared enough about the future Justice Roberts, who urged responsibility in exercising of communications education and freedom the right to free speech and ended with a caution: “So of expression to come here and share much of your individual lives and the sacrifices of fam- the moment.’ and don’t forget it was a ily and friends have been devoted to ensuring that you beautiful day.” have the opportunity to learn and exercise those rights. —Professor Jay Wright My message to you is very simple: Don’t blow it.” magnificent building. I think high into the glass façade of With scissors in hand, you will agree it was well Newhouse III, he said, “Stu- the speakers cut through worth the wait.