Texas A&M to revive journalism program...or not

[LanceyHoward]

Everything about this story perfectly encapsulates the journalism industry circa 2023. Imagine thinking you deserve a 5 year bulletproof contract to teach 19 year olds about an industry that is on life support.

People have to make decisions based on what is in their best interest. I think McElroy might wonder how much job security she would have in College Station. She can quite reasonably decide that risks of leaving a secure position in Austin is not worth the risk of getting bounced in a year or two at A@M.

I wish more journalists had the same opportunities McElroy has.

 

[playthrough]

Everything about this story perfectly encapsulates the journalism industry circa 2023. Imagine thinking you deserve a 5 year bulletproof contract to teach 19 year olds about an industry that is on life support.

She deserved tenure. There are professors with tenure that teach Latin -- now there's an industry on life support.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Everything about this story perfectly encapsulates the journalism industry circa 2023. Imagine thinking you deserve a 5 year bulletproof contract to teach 19 year olds about an industry that is on life support.

My question is more with the notion that a university should revive an academic program dedicated to a dying industry. No problem with the instructor/administrator. If you're going to be tasked with leading a degree program and asked to uproot, you should get some protection.
Would you leave a job in which you have some protection for one in which you have none?

 

[MeanGreenATO]

Some context about Banks and A&M: She also killed the print edition of the student newspaper and only allowed a limited reprieve after there was public backlash from the move.

Breaking: President Banks demands The Battalion stop printing

 

[matt_garth]

 

[Azrael]

goin' great!

Race was a factor in Black professor's failed hiring, Texas A&M department head says

 

[playthrough]

Some context about Banks and A&M: She also killed the print edition of the student newspaper and only allowed a limited reprieve after there was public backlash from the move.

Breaking: President Banks demands The Battalion stop printing

This is par for the course with college papers. They have the same financial problems as everyday papers, with the same lack of solutions, and university leadership has little motivation to help because eventually the student reporters are going to come for their asses for something. A dead student paper can't hold a president accountable.

I'm on the alumni board for my alma mater's paper and it's just hard. The university likes to say it has a top-notch journalism program enhanced by student media but it's not helping financially. We had a fundraising drive a couple years ago to help with the paper's operating costs but that's virtually gone already, and it's hard to keep going back to that well because the alumni ... are journalists. Whereas the law school or business school can snap its fingers anytime and its alumni will scratch huge checks.

 

[Twirling Time]

Probably a bad example since they're all deceased (but one), but it's easier to brag when your J-school alumni include Lady Bird Johnson, Walter Cronkite, Bill Moyers (who I discovered is still alive at age 89) and Liz Carpenter.

Aggie's only response that even moves the needle a little is righty talker Neal Boortz and a local regular guest columnist at my old paper.

Not a T-sipper, just like to gig 'em every once in a while.

 

[Liut]

Probably a bad example since they're all deceased (but one), but it's easier to brag when your J-school alumni include Lady Bird Johnson, Walter Cronkite, Bill Moyers (who I discovered is still alive at age 89) and Liz Carpenter.

Aggie's only response that even moves the needle a little is righty talker Neal Boortz and a local regular guest columnist at my old paper.

Not a T-sipper, just like to gig 'em every once in a while.

Loved Moyers and always will.
Never heard a better speaker. Was sometimes cranky and often hard to please (so I've read) but seemed sincere in his journalistic convictions.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

This is par for the course with college papers. They have the same financial problems as everyday papers, with the same lack of solutions, and university leadership has little motivation to help because eventually the student reporters are going to come for their asses for something. A dead student paper can't hold a president accountable.

This is the main issue. I get the funding aspect of it. But some admins are gleeful about the paper failing because it's no longer an entity that can criticize them.

It can be their business to not help out student papers and run them out. It can also be ours to not shed any tears when they lose their jobs.

 

[Della9250]

goin' great!

Race was a factor in Black professor's failed hiring, Texas A&M department head says

Thanks for the lawsuit.

I do find it somewhat funny that in the rivalry between the two schools, A&M turned down one of its own and had the chance to take her away from Texas and people were still against it.

 

[HanSenSE]