It was a sad day at the University of New Mexico Wednesday, Oct. 30. It was the day that Brad Hall, chairman of the Communications and Journalism Department, pulled the application for reaccredidation for the journalism and mass communications program.
The Daily Lobo saw this day coming long before this year. We, as student editors, are sorely disappointed in Hall's cowardly decision, which will affect hundreds of journalism majors already on campus and discourage promising young journalists from attending UNM.
Last year, a column that ran in the Albuquerque Tribune focused on some statements made by former Daily Lobo staff members who were upset about the quality, or rather absence of quality, of the journalism program. They said that it lacked many things that any standard journalism program should provide - such as instructors with strong experience in the business, mentors, adequate classes and involvement of the administration in caring about the program.
The actual amount of journalism majors in the newsroom of the Daily Lobo has dwindled to two. That's a radical departure from a newsroom that, when I did my high school internship at the Daily Lobo in 1999, was made up almost entirely of journalism majors. I used to be a journalism major, however, my experience in the journalism program left me disgusted and subsequently led me to change majors my sophomore year.
I am certain that I am not the only former or current journalism student at UNM who is infuriated at Hall's presumption that "if the department decides not to re-apply, it could end up as a benefit to the students in the department." A benefit? What kind of message is this sending to the UNM community and elsewhere? It's humiliating. I feel terrible for the students who are caught up in this mess and offer my sincere condolences that you all have been so poorly served by the chairman of the Communications and Journalism Department. This is not justice. This is not what the students pay for. Our money has been going to the University and if Hall thinks this can be the end result, he is seriously deluded.
This is not an "I told you so" rub at Hall or the C&J Department. This is sincere dismay from a student who has fears about the future of her University and her student newspaper. The Daily Lobo will have to work much harder to maintain its quality with no journalism program to draw from. The Daily Lobo is one of the top student newspapers in the country and I will work tirelessly to see that it remains so.
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Despite Hall's skepticism as to whether accreditation is actually needed, the fact remains that yes, accreditation is essential. UNM is already being looked down upon by outside universities due to the department's lack of motivation to address a serious problem that has come to a head in such a horrific way.
To all journalism majors: you are important. Let your voices be heard. I encourage you to write letters to the editor and letters to Chairman Hall expressing your feelings.
Please, don't let the UNM journalism program die this quiet, shameful death.
Angela Williams
Editor in Chief
