All right. Today I'm going to talk more about the college I've mentioned in two of my previous posts, and in particular, one of its programs. (Here and here) Although it is where I came to realize much of what I am writing in this blog, I don't want you to think the school is any more egregious in its policies and practices than any number of other schools you can think of. And, yes, I am going to reveal the identity of that school and program.
The college in question is York College, which is part of the City University of New York. The college should not be confused with other York Colleges in Pennsylvania and Nebraska, among other places, or York University of Toronto. And CUNY should not be confused with New York University, a.k.a. NYU, which is a private university.
In January of 2005, when I began teaching at York, the English Department was offering courses and a "concentration" in Journalism. The following year, a minor was offered to all students, regardless of major, in the college. (The same year, the CUNY Graduate Center opened its Journalism school, which grants graduate degrees in the field.) And, two years ago, the college started a BA in Journalism.
And what was the job market for new journalism graduates when the BA program started? "Tragic."
That wasn't a complaint from a recent graduate. It was uttered by none other than Dr. Tudor Vlad. Who is he?, you ask. Well, he's none other than the Assistant Director of the James M. Cox Center for International Mass Communications Training and Research at Grady College.
OK. That was two years ago, you say. Surely the only things in life that are forever are death and STDs, not bad job markets.
Tell that to the journalists of San Francisco. According to a recent report, half of the Bay Area's journalism jobs have disappeared in the past decade. That, in one of the largest and most media-savvy markets nation. One can only imagine what the picture has been like in places like Detroit and Cleveland.
According to another report, journalism jobs are vanishing at three times the national average. Yet the Accreditation Council on Education in Journalism and the Mass Communications accredited four undergraduate programs this year: Iona College, Central Michigan University, Jackson State University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Those schools can be expected, along with York College, to spill off graduates into a "tragic" market. The question many of you are asking is: Why are these new schools and programs opening?
Well, for one thing, many prospective students still see a journalism major and degree as a "practical" alternative to English, Creative Writing or other majors. And, for another, it's easy for such schools to find "name" faculty members when writers, editors and analysts with decades of experience are losing their jobs, or simply seeing the writing on the wall. (To be fair, some may have had dreams of teaching.) In fact, last year York hired Claire Serant, who spent fourteen years writing for the New York Daily News--a newspaper that has been on life support for at least a decade.
And Ms. Serant earned her MS in Journalism from Columbia, the mother of all journalism schools!
I added you to my blogroll, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThis is unusual. I've never heard of a person from academia break the fourth wall between the fiction touted by the schools and what is reality. Very accurate description of what is going on with print journalism, though I'd sure hate to see NYT disappear. Some of the best columnists have left NYT. I miss Frank Rich.
ReplyDeleteAs for the majority of us who were not employed at a major newspaper, the writing was on the wall 10 or 15 years ago. I figured I was going to have to find another way to make a living. Currently, I'm trying to convince one of my colleagues in my new field that her son's plan to become a journalist isn't the best move, nor is her daughter's plan to become an English professor. I printed out some material for her, including some of what you wrote on this blog. She was surprised. What can you say when parents are also duped?
Your detailed description is happening in schools everywhere. It doesn't pay to let prospective students know the truth about degrees so the schools lie to students about career prospects, while continuously hiking tuition. I think the worst offenders are the law schools where the degree in no way justifies the cost nor the employment options of today's grads. What I hate is that young students, who haven't had enough experience to check out whether or not they are being lied to, go into these programs.
The schools assume no responsibility of course.
Revan: Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnon: You're astute in pointing out that schools are feeding off the dreams of young people, just as much of the media does. Of course it's difficult to convince starry-eyed kids to take a look at "reality." I don't fault them; I think it's goes with being young. And the schools know that.
I agree with what you say about NYT. Although I sometimes thought he was self-indulgent, I think he was the best columnist they had in a long time.
Anon back. My name is Kim, but I don't want to post through Google blogger.
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a way of helping young people to not bury themselves in debt while finding something to do that they will like and will provide them with a living. I've tried to help 20 somethings sort it out for themselves and have been instrumental in that at least they've decided to not go into dying fields. Problem is no one is sure what career or job path to follow now. The economy isn't producing enough jobs period.
Hi Kim: I'm happy to hear that you're trying to help young people. Sad to say, I don't know what career paths to follow, either. All I know is that some of the dying fields aren't going to revive. The others may just remain stagnant, or return to what they were before this downturn, because, as you say, the economy simply isn't producing enough jobs of any kind.
ReplyDeleteI talked another young person out of going to school to become a journalist today. Interestingly, she has no interest in or knowledge of current events. It just seemed like a good profession to her because the schools say it is. She thought it looks exciting! Senators and celebrities know your name! I guess to be enamored in the celebrity cult would make that exciting, but it's the reason I didn't buy into the prima donna academics. I don't like seeing the dashed look on the faces of the starry-eyed, but I'd like it less if I knew I could warn them, but didn't. -- Kim
ReplyDeleteKim: I'm glad you talked to that young woman. I've never had children of my own, but in some ways teaching is like parenting. One of the parallels between the two roles is that in both of them, you sometimes have to tell young people what they don't want to hear. But in situations like the one you've described, it's the only responsible thing to do.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, many young people get their ideas about the professions they think they want to pursue from television and other mass media. Part of the reason for the explosion in the number of law school graduates is, I think, a generation that grew up watching programs from "LA Law" to "Ally McBeal" that glamorized the profession. Or, at least, those programs showed glamorous people in those professions, and they lived glamorous lives. As Nando, JD Painterguy and others are showing in their blogs, the reality is very different for the majority of graduates.