(IOWA CITY, IOWA) – The School of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Iowa announced today that it will be recommended for reaccreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
An ACEJMC site team visited the School of Journalism and Mass Communication on October 16-19, 2016. After an intensive two-day review, the team recommended reaccreditation for another six-year cycle. According to the team’s report, the School has an “enthusiastic young faculty committed to the academic and professional development of its students,” with a particular strength in developing in its students “effective writing and rigorous reporting as the foundation of cross-platform storytelling.”
“We are proud of our school, and I am happy that the site team has recognized the hard work of our faculty, staff, and students,” said David Ryfe, Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The team assessed the school’s compliance on nine standards: Mission, Governance and Administration; Curriculum and Instruction; Diversity and Inclusiveness; Full-Time and Part-Time Faculty; Scholarship: Research, Creative and Professional Activity; Student Services; Resources, Facilities and Equipment; Professional and Public Service; and Assessment of Learning Outcomes. The team found the school in compliance with all standards but Standard 3: Diversity, noting that the faculty is less diverse than in 2010 and faculty diversity “lags behind that of the university.”
“While I am proud of the excellent faculty we have assembled, which was recognized by the site team, we are aware of our diversity issues and are seeking to address them,” said Ryfe. “It is a major focus of the School’s strategic plan and something we will continue to work on in the future.”
The accreditation process also includes an extensive self-study in advance of the ACEJMC site team visit. ACEJMC is the nationally recognized organization responsible for the evaluation of journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities. Programs are reviewed every six years, and there are 111 accredited programs across the globe. For the School, the next step in its accreditation process is to have the site team’s recommendation reviewed by the ACEJMC Accrediting Committee, and then by the Council as a whole. These meetings will take place in spring 2017, when a final decision will be made.
The site team was chaired by Kristin Gilger, associate dean at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Other members of the team included Pat Rose, executive director of the American Academy of Advertising; Sonny Albarado, projects editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; and Brad Rawlins, special assistant to the provost at Arkansas State University.
About the School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Established in 1924, The University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication has long been recognized as a leader in journalism education. The School has produced thousands of distinguished graduates, and some have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes, Peabody Awards, and Emmy Awards. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication undergraduate programs (B.A. and B.S.) prepare students for dynamic careers in many traditional and new fields—working in media industries, or in other industries but within communications, and as entrepreneurs.
Contact: Rebecca Kick | rebecca-kick@uiowa.edu | 319-335-3390