Merced College Program Investigation: Journalism Summer/Fall 2012

Journalism Program History In accordance with Title 5, Section 51022, “College districts are required by current regulation and statute to develop a process for program discontinuance and minimum criteria for the discontinuance of occupational programs.” Merced College Administrative Procedure 4021 (AP 4021) governs the program discontinuance process at Merced College.

A program is defined as “an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher learning” (Title 5, Section 55000).

The Merced College (MCCD) Journalism Program was first approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) almost 50 years ago (1962). This program prepares students for entry-level positions as writers, reporters, photographers, designers, copy editors, and fact checkers for newspapers, newsletters, or magazines and other entry level careers that include writing, editing, photography, and/or page layout and design. The program also prepares students for transfer to a four- year college or university where they may pursue further studies in journalism, mass communications, and related fields.

While taking courses in journalism at Merced College, students may gain practical experience by contributing to the production of the Merced College Newspaper, The Devil’s Advocate. Production of The Devil’s Advocate offers students the opportunity to engage in a variety of journalistic roles, including editing, interviewing, writing, page layout, design, and photography. Prior to Spring 2009, production of the newspaper was offered as a course (JOUR-32). Currently, it is offered as a student club under the leadership of two part-time instructors

Methodology The Office of Grants and Institutional Research was asked to identify some quantitative indicators to further inform the discussion on program discontinuance. The quantitative indicators examined were:

1. Productivity a. Full-Time Equivalent Faculty (FTEF) b. Full-Time Equivalent Students (FTES) c. Enrollment i. Total Enrollment ii. Retention iii. Success iv. Persistence d. Frequency of course offerings e. Student Demographics i. Age ii. Ethnicity iii. Gender 2. Program Interest and Graduates 3. Comparable programs 4. Labor market information 5. Results of state and/or national examinations and accreditation 9/28/12 1

6. Student job placements The focus of this report was the students who enrolled in any journalism (JOUR) core courses during the primary terms from Fall 1999 to Fall 2008. Journalism core courses include JOUR-01 (Mass Media and Society), JOUR-08 (Introduction to Newswriting and Reporting), JOUR-32 (Newspaper Staff) and PHOT- 10A (Basic Photograph). PHOT-10A is also a core course for a photography degree. The majority of those who enroll in PHOT-10A do not take a JOUR course. PHOT-10A also comprises the majority of enrollment in journalism core courses. This skews the results; therefore, PHOT-10A was not considered in this study.

The research requestor had indicated a data timeframe of Fall 2006 to current. However, JOUR-01 has not been offered since Fall 2001 and JOUR-08 has not been offered since Spring 2002. Fall 2008 was the last term in which JOUR-32 was offered as a course. (Note: production of the newspaper has resumed as a student club under the supervision of two part-time instructors.) Therefore, the timeframe has been adjusted to encompass the dates when each of these courses was last offered.

FTEF The following table reflects FTEF only for JOUR-32 from Fall 2006-Fall 2008. Earlier data and data for JOUR-01 and JOUR-08 was not available. Historically, journalism courses were taught by adjunct professors.

Table 1: FTEF Term Sections Students PT-FTEF FTEF Fall 2006 2 20 0.27 0.27 Fall 2007 2 24 0.27 0.27 Fall 2008 2 30 0.27 0.27 Source: MCCD ODS

FTES FTES was calculated by summing the “Total Hours” (refer to SXD4 in CCCCO MIS Data Element Dictionary) in all the enrollment records reported to CCCCO MIS during the requested time period, then dividing by 525*. If “Total Hours” could not be derived because data is missing or set to “Unknown/Unreported”, the enrollments were not included.

The following table provides a term-by-term view of FTES for the Journalism Program as defined by CCCCO Taxonomy of Programs (T.O.P.) code.

Table 2: FTES Term 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Total Fall 2.13 2.23 1.37 1.71 1.54 2.06 2.06 1.37 2.06 2.57 17.04 Spring N/A 2.20 1.82 1.02 1.54 1.20 2.06 1.20 1.89 .86 13.79 Total 2.13 4.43 3.19 2.73 3.08 3.26 4.12 2.57 3.95 3.43 30.83 Source: CCCCO DataMart

* This methodology is not the same as the methodology used in calculating FTES for the 320 report. 9/28/12 2

Enrollment Enrollment consisted of students who registered for a journalism core class (JOUR-01, JOUR-08, and/or JOUR-32) and received a letter grade A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, I, W, FW, MW during Fall 1999 to Fall 2008. During this time frame, 212 students enrolled in journalism core courses, representing 141 unique students. Of the 212 enrollments, 49 were in JOUR-01 and/or JOUR-08, and 163 were in JOUR-32.

Table 3: Enrollment Enrollment Annual Term JOUR-01 JOUR-08 JOUR-32 Total Total 1999F 9 0 7 16 2000S 0 13 5 18 34 2000F 10 0 7 17 2001S 0 7 7 13 30 2001F 5 0 5 10 2002S 0 5 3 8 18 2002F 0 0 11 11 2003S 0 0 10 10 21 2003F 0 0 9 9 2004S 0 0 7 7 16 2004F 0 0 12 12 2005S 0 0 11 11 23 2005F 0 0 11 11 2006S 0 0 7 7 18 2006F 0 0 8 8 2007S 0 0 11 11 19 2007F 0 0 12 12 2008S 0 0 5 5 17 2008F 0 0 15 15 15 Enrollment Total 24 25 163 212 Source: MCCD Datatel

A student was retained in a course until the end of the term if the student earned a letter grade A, B, C, P, D, F, NP, or I. The retention rate is the percent of students retained until the end of the term.

A student earned a successful grade in a course by receiving letter grades A, B, C, or P. The course success rate is the percent of students who are successful in the course out of the total enrolled. Of these 212 students, 79.72% were retained and 74.06% succeeded in the core classes. Data from Fall 2002-Fall 2008 only reflect JOUR-32, the newspaper, the only course offered during that timeframe. Retention and success rates were very similar for this course.

9/28/12 3

Table 4: Retention and Success Rates Retained Successful Enrollment Term Number Percent Number Percent Total 1999F 12 75.00% 11 68.75% 16 2000S 12 66.67% 10 55.56% 18 2000F 11 64/71% 9 52.94% 17 2001S 9 64.29% 9 64.29% 13 2001F 6 60.00% 6 60.00% 10 2002S 8 100.00% 8 100.00% 8 2002F 9 81.82% 9 81.82% 11 2003S 8 80.00% 6 60.00% 10 2003F 9 100.00% 9 100.00% 9 2004S 6 85.71% 6 85.71% 7 2004F 10 83.33% 10 83.33% 12 2005S 11 100.00% 9 81.82% 11 2005F 9 81.82% 9 81.82% 11 2006S 6 85.71% 4 57.14% 7 2006F 8 100.00% 8 100.00% 8 2007S 10 90.91% 10 90.91% 11 2007F 10 83.33% 10 83.33% 12 2008S 5 100.00% 5 100.00% 5 2008F 10 66.67% 9 60.00% 15 Total 169 79.72% 158 74.06% 212 Source: MCCD Datatel

Program persistence measures the percent of students who enrolled in more than one journalism core course (JOUR-01, JOUR-08, or JOUR-32) during the reporting time frame. After Spring 2002, only JOUR- 32 was offered, so program persistence is irrelevant. Out of 141 unique students who enrolled in a journalism core course, 13 enrolled in two of these courses and 1 student enrolled in all three. This student did not, however, earn a degree in journalism. (MCCD Datatel).

Frequency of Course Offerings During Fall 1999-Fall 2008, one section of JOUR-32 was offered in each term and had enrollment counts between 3 and 15 students in a given term. One section of JOUR-01 was offered in Fall 1999, Fall 2000, and Fall 2001. Enrollment ranged from 5 to 10 students a semester. One section of JOUR-08 was offered in Spring 2000, Spring 2001, and Spring 2002. Between 5 and 13 students enrolled in this course each term.

Student Demographics Journalism courses were typically enrolled by students between the ages of 18 to 24 (66.04%). In general, numbers reflect the population of the college as a whole.

9/28/12 4

Graph 1: Age

45-49 Unknown/ Decline under 18 1.89% to State 1.89% 40-44 0.47% 35-39 1.89% 4.72% 50+ 7.08%

18-19 30-34 32.08% 6.60%

25-29 9.43%

20-24 33.96%

Source: MCCD ODS

Journalism courses were more commonly enrolled by White Non-Hispanics (45.28%) and Hispanics (31.33%). This is very different from the college as a whole (White Non-Hispanic 25.23%, Hispanic 47.42%).

Graph 2: Ethnicity Unknown/ African- American Asian Other Unreported American Indian/ 4.72% .94% 8.49% 4.72% Alaskan Native 1.42% Filipino 3.30%

Hispanic White Non- 31.33% Hispanic 45.28%

Pacific Islander 0%

Source: MCCD ODS

Female students comprised the majority (53.30%) of students enrolled in journalism core courses during the reporting period. This is similar to the percentage of female students at the college as a whole (56.93%).

9/28/12 5

Graph 3: Gender

Unknown/ Decline to State .47%

Male 46.23%

Female 53.30%

Source: MCCD ODS

Program Interest and Graduates According to CCCCO, the Merced College Journalism Program has not awarded a degree since 1992, the earliest data available. This is corroborated by MCCD ODS data. However, according to MCCD Datatel, 92 students have declared interest in journalism since 2001. This includes 9 enrolled in Fall 2012, 4 in Spring 2012, and 3 in Fall 2011. The remainder were enrolled prior to Fall 2011. Of the 141 unique students who enrolled in a journalism core class during Fall 1999 to fall 2008, 51 students earned a total of 63 degrees from Merced College in 24 programs of study (some students were awarded multiple degrees). Of the 51 degree recipients, 5 received Photography degrees and 5 received degrees in Communication Studies. The most common degree was Liberal Studies (11), which prepares pre-service elementary teachers. Of the 63 degrees, 13 did not specify the program for which the degree was awarded1. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, 6 students received Bachelor’s degrees in journalism from four-year institutions, 1 received a communication studies degree, and 2 received public relations degrees.

Comparable Programs Six other institutions in the Central Valley and three in the Sacramento area offer journalism programs. They are: Bakersfield College, College of the Sequoias, Fresno City College, Modesto Junior College, Solano Community College, Taft College, American River College, Cosumnes River College, and Sacramento City College. These colleges awarded a total of 146 journalism degrees combined (136 AA degrees and 10 certificates) from 1999 to 2011. Bakersfield College (45), College of the Sequoias (24), and Sacramento City College (22) awarded the most degrees. Overall, 993 journalism degrees have been awarded in California during this time frame (759 AA/AS degrees and 234 certificates). Community colleges in the Central Valley and Sacramento account for 14.70% of total journalism degrees awarded in California from 1999-2011 (17.92% AA/AS and 4.27% of certificates) (CCCCO).

1 MCCD ODS 9/28/12 6

With regards to related degrees, 226 general media and communications degrees were awarded during this time frame by Bakersfield College (215), Cosumnes River College (6) and Modesto Junior College (5), and 1090 were awarded throughout California. Bakersfield College (820), Modesto Junior College (110), Sacramento City College (65), College of the Sequoias (34), Fresno City College (25), Cosumnes River College (23), and Merced College (20) awarded a total of 1097 speech communication degrees (248 AA degrees and 849 certificates). California as whole awarded 5679 speech communication degrees (2730 Associate degrees and 2949 certificates) in the same time frame (CCCCO).

Table 5: Media and Communications Degrees Awarded 1999-2011 Media and Speech Communications College Journalism Communications (General) Total Bakersfield 45 820 215 1080 College of the Sequoias 24 34 0 58 Sacramento City College 22 65 0 87 Solano Community College 19 0 0 19 Cosumnes River College 11 23 6 40 Modesto Junior College 9 110 5 124 American River College 9 0 0 9 Fresno City College 4 25 0 29 Taft College 3 0 0 3 Merced College 0 20 0 20 Total 146 1097 226 1469 Total (California) 993 5679 1090 7762 Source: CCCCO DataMart

Labor Market Three broad industries (newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers; TV and radio broadcasting; and other information industries) and five specific occupations (reporters, editors, photographers, broadcast news analysts, and copyeditors/proofreaders) related to journalism were examined.

According to the Employment Development Department (EDD) California Industry Employment Projections 2008 – 2018, employment by newspaper, book, and directory publishers (i.e. print media) is expected to fall 31.2%. Radio and Television Broadcasting industries are expected to climb 1.4% from 2008 to 2018. Employment in other information industries is expected to climb 33% during this period. This segment includes internet publishing and news syndicates but also includes libraries and archives and other miscellaneous information services, so this figure should be regarded with caution (EDD).

9/28/12 7

Table 6: Industry Employment Projections 2008-2018 Average Annual Change Employment Industry 2008 2018 Number Percent Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and 52,300 36,000 -16,300 -31.2% Directory Publishers Radio and Television 28,500 28,900 400 1.4% Broadcasting Other information Industries 34,500 45,900 11,400 33.0% Source: EDD

With regards to specific occupations, demand for reporters in California is expected to drop 13.1% from 2008-2011, and demand for editors is expected to drop 2.8%. Demand for photographers is expected to rise 7.1%, though many do not work in the print or broadcasting industries. Demand for copyeditors/proofreaders is expected to remain flat. Data for broadcast news analysts was not available.

Table 7: Occupation Employment Projections 2008-2018 Average Average Annual Annual Employment Change Openings Occupation 2008 2018 Number Percent Reporters 6,100 5,300 -800 -13.1% 170 Photographers 12,700 13,600 900 7.1% 350 Editors 14,300 13,900 -400 -2.8% 380 Copyeditors/ Proofreaders 1900 1900 0 0% 30 Source: EDD

Broadcast news analysts had the highest average annual wages in first quarter 2012 in California at $90,729.00, according to the Employment Development Department. Copyeditors/ proofreaders had the lowest at $42,681.60. In general, wages in four Central Valley Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were lower than the state average. Editors in the Merced MSA ($34,444.80) earned substantially less than the state average ($61,089.60). Reporters in the Fresno MSA ($59,612.80) earned more than the state average ($49,171.20) while those in the Stockton MSA ($39,436.80) and the Modesto MSA ($32,260.80) earned less. Photographers in all four MSAs earned substantially less on average (California $47,008.00, Fresno MSA $28,267.20, Merced MSA $23,275.20, Stockton MSA $33,363.20, Modesto MSA $36,566.40).

9/28/12 8

$100,000.00 Graph 4: Average Annual Wages 1st Quarter 2012 $90,729.00 $90,000.00

$80,000.00

$70,000.00

$61,089.60 $59,612.80 $60,000.00 $56,347.20 $53,331.20 $51,771.20 $49,171.20 $50,000.00 $47,008.00 $42,681.60 $39,436.80 $40,000.00 $36,566.40 $37,648.00 $34,444.80 $32,260.80 $33,363.20 $30,000.00 $28,267.20 $23,275.20

$20,000.00

$10,000.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $- Broadcast News Editors Reporters Photographers Copyeditors Analysts California Fresno MSA Merced MSA Stockton MSA Modesto MSA Source: EDD

According to the EDD, 49.8% of reporters are employed by newspaper, book, and directory publishers, and another 26.4% are employed in TV and radio broadcasting. TV and radio broadcasting employs 74.8% of broadcast news analysts and 4.5% of editors. Newspaper, book, and directory publishers employ 39.8% of editors, 3.7% of photographers, and 11.7% of copyeditors/proofreaders. Copyeditors/proofreaders and photographers are most commonly employed outside the print and broadcast industries. About one-fourth (25.30%) of photographers are engaged in “other professional/technical services”, and colleges and universities employ 31.3% of copyeditors/proofreaders (EDD).

Results of State and/or National Examinations and Accreditation There are several professional organizations, including the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). However, they do not have any required state or national examinations.

The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) accredits journalism programs. The Merced College Journalism Program is currently not accredited.

9/28/12 9

Student Job Placements Currently there is no known system in place to follow up with students after they have exited Merced College.

Conclusions The four core courses in the Journalism Program are JOUR-01, JOUR-08, JOUR-32, and PHOT-10A. PHOT- 10A is also a core course for a photography degree. JOUR-32 is the Merced College Newspaper. Two of the core courses (JOUR-01 and JOUR-08) are not currently being offered; JOUR-32 is no longer offered as a course but rather as a student club under the leadership of two part-time instructors. JOUR-01 was last offered Fall 2001, JOUR-08 was last offered Spring 2002, and JOUR-32 was last offered Fall 2008. It was not considered in this report because the majority of those who enroll in PHOT-10A do not take a JOUR course. PHOT-10A also comprises the majority of enrollment in journalism core courses. This skews the results. FTES for the program was low, ranging from .86 to 2.57. The FTEF is also low. These numbers may be influenced by low enrollment, only one section of each course being offered, some courses not being offered every semester, and the courses being taught by adjunct faculty. Between Fall 1999 and Fall 2008, there were 212 total students enrolled in these courses, representing 141 unique students. Of these 212 enrollments, 49 enrolled in JOUR-01 and/or JOUR-08, and 163 enrolled in JOUR-32. As JOUR-32 is publication of the school paper, taking this course does not necessarily indicate an interest in pursuing a journalism degree. Of these 212 students, 79.72% were retained and 74.06% succeeded in the core classes. Data from Fall 2002-Fall 2008 only reflect JOUR-32, the newspaper, the only course offered during that timeframe. Retention and success rates were very similar for this course, indicating that those who stayed in the course the entire semester generally succeeded.

Very few students persisted in the program during the reporting period. Out of 212 students (duplicated headcount) who enrolled in a journalism core course, 13 enrolled in two of these courses and 1 student enrolled in all three. This student did not, however, earn a degree in journalism. (MCCD Datatel).

During Fall 1999-Fall 2008, one section of JOUR-32 was offered in each term and had enrollment counts between 3 and 15 students in a given term. One section of JOUR-01 was offered in Fall 1999, Fall 2000, and Fall 2001. Enrollment ranged from 5 to 10 students a semester. One section of JOUR-08 was offered in Spring 2000, Spring 2001, and Spring 2002. Between 5 and 13 students enrolled in this course each term. Only JOUR-32 was offered every semester. JOUR-01 was only offered in the fall, and JOUR-08 was only offered in the spring. Neither of these courses was offered after Spring 2002. This may have impacted program persistence.

Enrollment in the four journalism core courses was most common with students ages 18 to 24 years old (66.04%), White Non-Hispanic (45.28%), and female (53.30%). MCCD students as a whole tend to be under 19 to 24 (63.42%), Hispanic (47.42%) and female (56.93%). Journalism students were more likely to be White Non-Hispanic than the college as a whole. According to CCCCO, the Merced College Journalism Program has not awarded a degree since 1992, the earliest data available. This is corroborated by MCCD ODS data. Combined with the fact that most students who took a journalism course took JOUR-32, the newspaper, this indicates that students taking a journalism course may only be interested in working on the paper and not pursuing a degree in

9/28/12 10

journalism. However, according to MCCD Datatel, 92 students have declared interest in journalism since 2001. This includes 9 enrolled in Fall 2012, 4 in Spring 2012, and 3 in Fall 2011. The remainder were enrolled prior to Fall 2011. While the core courses for the program are not currently offered, results indicate there is demand for the program. Of the 141 unique students who enrolled in a journalism core class during Fall 1999 to fall 2008, 51 students earned a total of 63 degrees from Merced College in 24 programs of study (some students were awarded multiple degrees). Of the 51 degree recipients, 5 received Photography degrees and 5 received degrees in Communication Studies. The most common degree was Liberal Studies (11), which prepares pre-service elementary teachers. Of the 63 degrees, 13 did not specify the program for which the degree was awarded2. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, 6 students received Bachelor’s degrees in journalism from four-year institutions, 1 received a communication studies degree, and 2 received public relations degrees. This indicates that some students are pursuing journalism degrees at other institutions, and some are pursuing degrees in related fields.

Six other community colleges in the Central Valley and three in the Sacramento area offer journalism AA degress. Three of these also offer journalism certificates, seven (including Merced College) offer AA degrees and/or certificates in speech communications, and three offer AA degrees in general media and communications. Between 1999 and 2011, these institutions awarded 146 Journalism degrees, 1097 Speech Communications degrees (including 20 from Merced College), and 226 General Communication degrees. Overall, 1095 Journalism degrees, 5679 Speech Communications degrees, and 1090 General Communications degrees were awarded in California during this time frame. Community colleges in the Central Valley and Sacramento account for 13.33% of total journalism degrees awarded in California from 1999-2011. Three broad industries (newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers; TV and radio broadcasting; and other information industries, including internet publishing, libraries/archives, and all other information services) and five specific occupations (reporters, editors, photographers, broadcast news analysts, and copyeditors/proofreaders) related to journalism were examined. According to the EDD, between 2008 and 2018, the projected employment in California for newspaper, book, periodical, and directory publishers is expected to fall 31.2%, while TV and radio broadcasting is expected to rise 1.4%. Other information industries are expected to rise 33.0%. The “other information industries” figure should be viewed with caution as it includes a diverse range of occupations. Demand for reporters is expected to drop 13.1% from 2008-2018, and demand for editors is expected to drop 2.8%. Demand for photographers is expected to rise 7.1%, though many do not work in the print or broadcasting industries. Demand for copyeditors/proofreaders is expected to remain flat. With the exception of “other information industries”, including internet publishing, demand for professions related to journalism is stagnant or decreasing. Internet publishing may still provide opportunities for those with a journalism degree, but this opportunity should be regarded with caution as “other information industries” encompasses a wide range of occupations. The annual average wage in first quarter 2012 in California for the five occupations examined ranged from $90,729.00 for broadcast news analysts to $42,681.60 for copyeditors. In general, wages in Fresno MSA, Merced MSA, Stockton MSA, and Modesto MSA were lower. The differences were most notable for editors in the Merced MSA ($34,444.80) and photographers in the Fresno MSA ($28,267.20) and the Merced MSA ($23,275.20) when compared to the state average ($61,089.60 editors, $47,008.00 Photographers). The exception was reporters in the Fresno MSA ($59,612.80) who earned more on

2 MCCD ODS 9/28/12 11 average than those in California as a whole ($49,171.20). Professions related to journalism generally do not seem to pay as well in the Central Valley as in other parts of the state.

Recommendations Per Merced College Administrative Policy 4021 (AP 4021), “. . .There are three potential outcomes of the Program Discontinuance process. A program may be recommended to continue, to continue with qualification, or to discontinue” (emphasis added). Discussion of program discontinuance must include all parties potentially affected by the decision. Pursuant to AP4021, the Merced College Office of Grants and Institutional Research recommends the following addressing each of the potential outcomes:

1. Continue: The program could be continued as is by hiring faculty to teach the core courses. 2. Continue with Modification: A review of the curriculum of successful journalism programs, such as Bakersfield College, College of the Sequoias, and Sacramento City College could suggest ways to improve the Merced College Journalism Program and make it a viable program. Alternatives to a Journalism AA could be considered, such as offering a certificate or an online program or including journalism courses in other degrees, such as communication studies. Ashford University offers an online degree in journalism. This program could be examined to provide ideas for modification of the Merced College program.

3. Discontinue: The results of this study suggest the Journalism Program may not a viable program as it is currently configured. The final determination as to the viability of the Journalism Program at Merced College lies with the committee charged with investigating its possible discontinuance.

The Office of Grants and Institutional Research will be available for any follow-up as needed.

Andrea Hall-Cuccia Research Analyst Merced College [email protected] (209) 384-6370 September 21, 2012

9/28/12 12