Newsletter of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications ASCENT July 2020 Vol. 27 #2 CALENDAR Message from the Council President

Council to hold session at virtual AEJMC conference It’s been a remarkable year for ACEJMC. Like every other The Accrediting Council will have organization, COVID-19 has disrupted our processes and an information session 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Pacific Time) on Friday, routines, and we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation. Aug. 7, during the virtual conference of the Association for Education in Call it a gap year, call it a year off. Whatever the case, the 2020-21 Journalism and Mass Communi- accrediting cycle is postponed a year. In essence, every visit, every cation. The main topic will be an decision is pushed back. Schools seeking initial accreditation have to update on standards revisions. wait. The first Susanne Shaw Award for It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the only decision, even as some Excellence in Accreditation will be schools (a few at least) wanted to go ahead, possibly with virtual presented at the AEJMC conference President visits. Peter Bhatia in 2021. The Council met twice this spring, for our normal accrediting Accrediting Council to meet virtually Sept. 12 decision-making in April and in a special business meeting in May at COVID-19 which the decision to push back a year was adopted. The Accrediting Council will meet leads to a virtually 10 a.m. (Eastern Time) To be clear, this means all units on the traditional six-year visit Saturday, Sept. 12, for its fall meet- schedule will instead be accredited for seven years for one cycle. For pause in ing. The standards review will be the example, a school previously scheduled for a vote in 2022 will now main topic of discussion. Council reviews; be up for a vote in 2023. members will receive further details accreditation about the meeting next month from ACEJMC won’t be taking the year off, however. Our standards review ACEJMC headquarters. Schools committee remains at work and will be presenting its findings to the work interested in virtually attending the Council at a September meeting (by Zoom, of course). We also will Council meeting should contact use the year to create webinar training for school administrators continues Executive Director Pat Thompson at and site teams, and to do some strategic planning, evaluating our [email protected]. processes and methodologies to adapt to the rapidly changing worlds on the of higher education, our professions and technology. Annual deadline to update standards retention/graduation data On standards review, you’ve perhaps heard that we are consider- pushed back revisions ing a relaxation of the 72-hour rule to give schools more curricular Because of the COVID-19 pan- flexibility. We are rewriting our governing values and competencies demic, the annual Aug. 15 deadline to deal with contemporary times. And we are looking at streamlining to notify ACEJMC of updated reten- the standards to keep the rigor required but to eliminate work not tion and graduation data has been essential to accrediting a program. pushed back until Dec. 1. Schools are encouraged to observe the Aug. The survey many of you participated in last year shows a general 15 deadline if possible. satisfaction with the accrediting process. But we intend to make it As a reminder, accredited programs better. must send notification of the update and the current URL to creinardy@ Please attend our virtual session at AEJMC in August, to learn more ku.edu. about where we are in the review process.

Council, Committee Member/Program Accreditation 2019-20 site team In this issue: appointments updates decisions appreciation Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 ASCENT ASJMC and AEJMC elect representatives to the Accrediting Council Association of Schools year of Lorraine Branham’s three- of Journalism and Mass term for the 2019-20 academic Communication: year.

Kathleen McElroy, professor Association for Education and director of the School of Jour- in Journalism and Mass nalism at the University of Texas Communication Kathleen Greg Pat at Austin, was elected to a three- McElroy Luft Curtin Pat Curtin, associate dean year term as Accrediting Council for undergraduate affairs at the representative for the Association of Schools of Journalism University of Oregon, was elected to a three-year term as and Mass Communication. Accrediting Council representative for the Association for Greg Luft, professor and chair of the Department of Jour- Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Curtin nalism and Media Communication at Colorado State Univer- replaces Cristina Azocar, who had completed her three-year sity, was elected to a three-year term as Accrediting Council term as AEJMC representative to the Council. representative for the Association of Schools of Journalism New Council members will begin their terms with the Sept. and Mass Communication. Luft had served the remaining 12 virtual meeting.

Council elects Accrediting Committee members

The Accrediting Council elected she represented NABJ on the Accredit- Cristina Azocar, Jackie Jones and ing Council for 25 years. Joseph Tateoka to serve three-year Tateoka is a vice president and talent terms on the Accrediting Committee. director at Edelman Chicago. In August Michael Cherenson was re-elected to 2019, he joined the Talent/HR team serve a second term. The Accrediting supporting the organization’s D&I, Council held the elections during its May corporate citizenship/sustainability, 16 virtual business meeting. Cristina Jackie Azocar Jones internal communications, and learning Azocar is an associate professor of and development initiatives. Previ- journalism at San Francisco State Uni- ously, he spent more than 12 years as versity where she served as department a strategic account and team lead for chair for two terms. She is a past presi- B2B, technology and corporate clients dent of the Native American Journalists including: Amazon Web Services, Association, a past president of American Braintree, CA Technologies, HP 3D Indian Issues for the Media Diversity Printers, HP Enterprise, and PayPal at Forum and a past member of the Accred- Edelman. iting Council. She is a founding board Joseph Michael Cherenson, executive vice president member of the Women’s Media Center. Tateoka Cherenson of SCG Advertising and Public Rela- Jones is assistant dean for programs at Morgan State tions, is a 26-year industry veteran and author of three University and also chairs the Department of Multimedia studies on the impact of reputation. Cherenson is Ac- Journalism in the School of Global Journalism & Com- credited in Public Relations by the Universal Accredita- munication. She is a veteran journalist, having worked tion Board and Public Relations Society of America, and at several news organizations, including the Detroit Free is a member of the organization’s prestigious College of Press, Newsday, The Daily News Fellows. At SCG Advertising and Public Relations, he has and The Washington Post. Jones has been a senior served as chief public relations counselor and strategist lecturer at Penn State, a Virginius Dabney Distinguished and oversees all public relations activities. Cherenson Professor at Virginia Commonwealth, and an adjunct is a member of PRSA’s Educational Affairs Committee journalism instructor at Howard University. As a national and serves as a site team member for the Group’s CEPR officer for the National Association of Black Journalists, Certification program.

JULY 2020 Page 2 ASCENT MEMBER and PROGRAM UPDATES Tamara Buck will become chair of the Department of Mass Haydeé Seijo Maldonado is acting chair of the School of Com- Media at Southeast Missouri State, effective Aug. 1. Buck munications at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras succeeds Pam Parry, who is stepping down to focus on research Campus. Maldonado succeeds Jorge Santiago Pintor, who publication. Buck will be the first African-American to serve as stepped down as chair and continues as a professor on the de- chairperson of the department. partment’s faculty.

Lisa Collins replaces Sonya Duhé as director of the School of Emily Metzgar is the new director of the School of Media and Communication and Design at Loyola University in New Or- Journalism at Kent State University. Professor Jeffrey Fruit leans. Collins has been a professor at Loyola for seven years and had served as the interim director during the national search. served as the director of online education for the school. She will Before her appointment at Kent State, Metzgar was serving as serve as interim director during the search for a new director. director of undergraduate studies at The Media School at Indiana State University. Eddith Dashiell is the new director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio Temple Northup is the new director of the School of Journal- University. Dashiell succeeds Robert Stewart, who had ism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Noah served the last 10 years as director before retiring in May. Dashi- Arceneaux, who served as interim director during the leader- ell joined the faculty in 1992. She is the first woman and first ship search, returns to full-time teaching. Before his appointment African-American to hold the director position in the school. at San Diego State University, Northup was director of the School of Communication at the University of Houston. Ron DeMarse is the new interim director of the School of Media at Western Kentucky University. DeMarse succeeds María Leticia Flores-Palacios is the new director of the Robert Dietle, who had served as interim director since 2017. Department of Digital Media and Culture at the Instituto DeMarse has been a faculty member of the school since 2007 and Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. She was serving as curriculum coordinator for the broadcasting and succeeds Maria Concepción Castillo González, who remains film departments before his appointment to interim director. on the faculty. Erika Engstrom is the new director of the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky. Before her appoint- Aaron Quinn is the new chair of the Department of Journalism ment, Engstrom was a professor of communication studies at the and Public Relations at California State University, Chico. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She succeeds Professor Scoo- He succeeds Susan McMahon Wiesinger, who stepped down bie Ryan, who had served as interim director of the school. as chair after nine years in the position. She continues as a pro- fessor in the department. Kristin Gilger is interim dean at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. Gilger succeeded Ed Simpson is the new director of the School of Communica- Christopher Callahan, the new president of the University of tions at the University of Southern Mississippi. He succeeds the Pacific in California. Gilger joined ASU in 2002 as director of John Meyer, who had served as acting director. Meyer contin- student media and has been a senior associate dean in the school ues as a full professor on the school’s faculty. since 2007. Debora Wenger is the interim dean of the School of Journalism Mark Lodato is the new dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of and New Media at the University of Mississippi. Wenger suc- Public Communications at . Lodato suc- ceeds Will Norton, who joined the school in 2009 as founding ceeds Amy Falkner, who had served as interim dean after the dean. Norton stepped down at the end of the 2019-20 academic death of dean Lorraine Branham in 2019. Lodato was associate year to return to the school’s faculty. Wenger joined the school’s dean at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Com- faculty in 2009 and was Assistant Dean for Partnerships and In- munication at Arizona State University. novation.

Cynthia Jackson-Hammond to lead CHEA Accreditation lapses Cynthia Jackson-Hammond will be the new black university’s first female president July The School of Journalism at president of the Council for Higher Educa- 1, 2012. Southern Illinois University tion Accreditation (CHEA) effective Aug. 1. ACEJMC is the agency formally recognized Carbondale and the Department She will succeed Judith Eaton, who is retir- by CHEA for accrediting programs for pro- of Communications at the Uni- ing. Eaton served as CHEA president since fessional education in journalism and mass versity of Tennessee at Martin the organization’s founding in 1996. communications in institutions of higher have let their accreditations lapse. Jackson-Hammond retired June 30 as learning. CHEA has the largest institutional The programs did not go through president of Central State University in higher education membership organization the reviews required for reaccredi- Ohio, where she became the historically in the United States. tation.

Page 3 JULY 2020 ASCENT Council makes accreditation decisions The Accrediting Council made accreditation decisions on 24 first accreditation review. Three schools seeking reaccredita- schools during its April 25 meeting. Because of the COVID-19 tion were given provisional. These schools will be revisited pandemic, Council members and administrators of schools after the provisional period to determine if deficiencies have under review participated in a virtual meeting. been corrected. One school seeking initial accreditation was deferred and also will be revisited after the provisional period. The Council delivered 20 decisions to accredit or reaccredit, which included three schools successfully completing their ACEJMC now accredits 118 schools.

Initial accreditation: -- Morgan State University School of A six-year look at noncompliances in the nine standards Global Journalism and Communica- tion PROGRAM REVIEWS / Noncompliance findings in 9 Standards -- University of Puerto Rico – Huma- Standard 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 cao Department of Communication 1 Mission/Gov. 2 1 1 1 -- University of West Georgia Depart- 2 Curriculum 2 1 3 ment of Mass Communications 3 Diversity 3 3 4 2 1 2 4 Faculty 1 1 1 Removed from provisional 5 Research 1 2 1 1 and fully reaccredited: 6 Student 1 1 -- Auburn University School of Com- Services munication and Journalism 7 Resources 1 1 1 1 2 -- A&M University Division of 8 Prof/Public 1 Journalism Service 9 Assessment -- New York University Arthur L. 5 6 6 9 7 5 Total 8 14 15 15 12 3 14 Carter Journalism Institute (under- noncompls graduate program) -- Southern University and A&M * Programs 23 32 32 30 23 13 24 College Department of Mass Com- Reviewed 22 28 25 24 20 11 23 munication undergraduate undergraduate undergraduate undergraduate undergraduate undergraduate undergraduate Totals 1 master’s 4 master’s 7 master’s 6 master’s 3 master’s 2 master’s 1 master’s -- Virginia Commonwealth University include revisits Richard T. Robertson School of Media * undergrad/professional master’s programs reviewed separately and Culture **beginning with 2012-13, judgments of compliance/noncompliance required on revisits

Reaccredited: -- California State University, Long Beach Department of Journal- Provisional: ism and Public Relations -- Hampton University Scripps Howard School of Journalism and -- City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism Communications -- Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, -- Jacksonville State University Department of Communication Campus Monterrey Media and Digital Cultural Department -- University of Idaho School of Journalism and Mass Media -- Kansas State University A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications -- California Polytechnic State University Journalism Department -- Loyola University School of Communication and Design underwent an initial accreditation review and was given a two-year -- Michigan State University School of Journalism provisional period to correct deficiencies. -- Oklahoma State University School of Media and Strategic Com- munications Site team reports available online: All site team reports from -- San Francisco State University Journalism Department the 2019-20 accreditation cycle, as well as site team reports dat- -- SUNY Buffalo State Communication Department ing back to the 2012-13 cycle, are published with school listing by -- Temple University Department of Journalism state at: http://www.acejmc.org/accreditation-reviews/ -- University of Nevada, Reno Donald W. Reynolds School of Schools are listed under the appropriate tabs to reflect Provisional Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies or Accredited/Reaccredited. Each listing also includes the accred- -- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Com- ited program’s most recent retention and graduation data under munication the Student Data Information link.

JULY 2020 Page 4 ASCENT Leadership

President RESOURCES Accrediting Council In appreciation to 2019-20 site team members Peter Bhatia Editor and Vice President The Accrediting for their time and service Detroit Free Press Council has available and freep.com There were 19 accreditation site visits and five revisits several resources to [email protected] during the 2019-20 visit cycle. Seventy individuals volunteered time assist schools with and service for these visits. Vice President the accreditation Accrediting Council Dale Cressman process. Documents Chairs for Site Visits/Revisits: Associate Director can be found under of Student Learning 1. Doug Anderson 12. Barbara Hines the resources tab at Associate Professor 2. Caesar Andrews 13. Joel Kaplan School of Communications http://www.acejmc. Brigham Young University org/resources/. 3. Peter Bhatia 14. Rafael Lorente 360 BRMB Provo, UT 84602-6404 Preparation for 4. Ann Brill 15. Pam Luecke (801)422-1686 [email protected] Accreditation 5. David Boardman 16. Will Norton suggests actions 6. Heidi de Laubenfels 17. Carol Pardun Chair a program should Accrediting Committee 7. Joe Foote 18. Paul Parsons Marie Hardin undertake in the Dean years before the self- 8. Rochelle Ford 19. Brad Rawlins Donald P. Bellisario College 9. Kristin Gilger of Communications study -- including the 20. Ford Risley State collection of data and University 10. Tim Gleason 21. Jennifer Sizemore record keeping, and University Park, PA 11. Marie Hardin (814)863-1484 the involvement of [email protected] faculty and students Team Members for Site Visits/Revisits: in the accreditation process. 1. Sonny Albarado 26. Joanna Hernandez How to Develop 2. Andy Alexander 27. Helen Katz ACEJMC Contacts Mission and Plans 3. Tim Bajkiewicz 28. Loup Langton Executive Director Patricia Thompson provides information 4. Kathleen Fearn-Banks 29. Tien-Tsung Lee 201 Bishop Hall on writing a mission P.O. Box 1848 5. Marianne Barrett 30. Mark Lodato University of Mississippi statement and 6. Clark Bell 31. Diana Martinelli University, MS 38677 developing a diversity (662)915-5550 (office) plan, a long-range 7. Dorothy Bland 32. Diane McFarlin (662)202-4476 (cell) [email protected] strategic plan, and an 8. Gracie Lawson-Borders 33. Julie Newton assessment plan. 9. Doug Boyd 34. Earnest Perry Assistant to the Executive Director 10. Sheri Broyles 35. Mike Philipps Cindy Reinardy Examples of self- 11. Shirley Staples Carter 36. Greg Pitts Stauffer-Flint Hall studies also are 1435 Jayhawk Boulevard 12. Mike Cherenson 37. Deborah Potter Lawrence, KS 66045 available under the (785)864-7640 resources tab. These 13. Caryl Cooper 38. Africa Price [email protected] 14. Barbara Cochran 39. Patricia Reksten well-executed self- studies represent a 15. Dale Cressman 40. Mary Rogus Project Coordinator broad spectrum of Candace Oswalt 16. Lucy Dalglish 41. Janet Rose 201 Bishop Hall accredited programs 17. George Daniels 42. Brian Sheehan P.O. Box 1848 in size and resources. University of Mississippi 18. David Davies 43. Dan Shelley University, MS 38677 For more information, 19. Peter Debreceny 44. Bill Silcock (662)915-5550 email creinardy@ Fax: (662)915-5703 20. Denise Dowling 45. Al Stavitsky ku.edu. [email protected] 21. Vince Duffy 46. Amy Struthers 22. Jessica Gisclair 47. Paul Voakes 23. Michel Haigh 48. Chuck Wanninger 24. Charlotte Hall 49. Sonja Williams 25. Mark Hass

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