Hoping for journalism leadership at ASU

Pat and I graduated in 1967 as part of the first class to have “university” on our diplomas. After earning a master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma, I returned in 1970 as an instructor of journalism and adviser to the student newspaper, The Herald.

It was certainly a continuation of my education to share an office for four years with my mentor, the late L.W. “Tex” Plunkett, recognized as the father of journalism at A-State. After a time, I decided that I was better suited to be a newspaper editor, but I’ve always believed in the “hands-on” approach to journalism education that Tex instilled in his students.

It was somewhat shocking, though not entirely surprising, to learn that a state board had decided last spring to delete A-State’s multimedia journalism degree, a descendant of the great program that Tex had started many years ago and that other outstanding journalism and broadcast educators, including Joel Gambill, Charles Rasberry, Marlin Shipman, Darrel Cunningham, Bonnie Thrasher and Richard Carvell, carried on — thus compiling a history of more than 80 years.

I say the latest development was not surprising because since 1998 administrative reorganizations and the demise of the American newspaper industry have conspired to change a once-thriving academic program into a shell of itself. Beginning in 1998, I became concerned about so-called restructuring, and we alumni were successful in defeating the first administrative proposal. But there would be more than we could fight from outside academia.

For a time, we alumni who became professional journalists or broadcasters were welcome, at least to an extent, to offer our ideas about how the skills that made us successful should be taught. But that ended with restructuring, especially when we opposed what the administrators wanted to do. For the past five years or so, there has been little effort even to stay in touch with alumni — a travesty for an organization of communicators.

The sad end to the journalism degree was kept a secret for more than four months after it happened. When the news was finally delivered via A-State’s student newspaper, The Herald, Dr. Brad Rawlins, who had been the principal communications administrator off and on since 2012, said he wanted more of the curriculum and other details finalized before sharing more information about the change.

“My fear is that outside of Arkansas State, the narrative will be that journalism is dead at A-State, and we won’t get any students coming here who have an interest in journalism. It’ll hurt in a lot of different ways,” he said. “That’s my candid answer on why we haven’t been really forthcoming sharing a lot of this. I want there to be a positive part to the story that I can share, and it’s just taking a long time for that to come about.”

As the spring semester began, nothing positive has yet been shared, and those who could make something happen are not talking much to each other.

After learning about the decision of a state board to delete the journalism degree in early November, I filed an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request with Rawlins for all communications and documents related to the decision. As is the customary practice, my request was passed along to Jeff Hankins, vice president for strategic communications and economic development for the ASU System, who went to work on collecting what I needed.

“On a personal note, I wasn’t aware of this development if it is true,” he wrote.

Jeff is an A-State journalism alumnus and former newspaperman.

My request seemingly broke down some resistance to The Herald’s story, and The Jonesboro Sun even reprinted an updated version of the story.

I had determined to find out what happened, why and what, if anything, could be done about it. Most importantly, I wanted my fellow alumni of A-State journalism and broadcasting programs to be informed so my hope is that this series will reach them. The advantage of this digital format is that space is unlimited.

Whether anything will rise from the ashes is hard to say.

But I was heartened by a Nov. 30 letter from ASU-Jonesboro Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields to our alumni and a subsequent interview in his office in December. A political scientist, he has a strong understanding of journalism and appreciation for its importance — even in today’s world, where too many news “deserts” are developing. And he is fresh from a tenure as dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, where journalism education is still thriving.

The question now is: Who will lead?

Editor’s note: Roy Ockert is editor emeritus at the Jonesboro Sun and a former journalism professor at Arkansas State University. He can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.