Stringfellow addresses Mass Comm student concerns

Guy King
Staff Writer/ MC 301 Contributor

Mass Communications students gathered at the Jackson State University eCenter on Sept. 4, 2014 with questions and concerns about the future of the department stemming from an announcement this summer that the Department would be transformed into a School of Journalism and Mass Communications

“This will allow us to leverage our many assets – such as the TV station, radio stations and Weathervision,” said James Renick Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in the announcement.

Before returning to JSU this fall, mass communications students received letters informing them of the transition and also that the department would not be seeking reaccreditation after May 2015.

The interim department chair, Eric D. Stringfellow, decided to have a departmental meeting addressing student questions and concerns.

Stringfellow, an award-winning journalist and journalism educator, has been charged with developing an intensive collaboration between the department and University Communications to create more internship opportunities for students and assist with the transition from department status to school.

“I am pleased the department decided to have a meeting to address the issues and actually listen to the students to clear up issues on the accreditation and resources available in the department,” said Henry Goss, a junior mass communications major with a concentration from Jackson, Miss.

Stringfellow assured students that the department not seeking reaccreditation would not hurt their future employment.  He also encouraged students to seek internships and to start utilizing the resources available to them on campus, JSUTV, WJSU and Student Publications, to help build portfolios.

In the announcement, Stringfellow stated: “I am humbled by the opportunity and the challenge but highly motivated by what’s best for our students.”

Some students were concerned about the transition to school status and the lack of a permanent chair to lead the department. Stringfellow assured students that the search for a permanent chair was ongoing to spearhead the transition.

“The decision to transform the University’s Mass Communications department to a School of Journalism is incredible. I feel that we as Mass Comm students are up for the challenge. We are pivotal in the progression of creating better journalists at Jackson State,” said Laura Coleman, a sophomore mass communications major from Jackson, Miss.

The department’s faculty was also present to help address questions and concerns of the students.

“The meeting was very informative for students with concerns about the transition from “Department” to “School” status. This transition has the full support of the administration and will be beneficial to the students in their aspirations as media professionals’” said Shannon Tatum, adjunct professor and Publications Manager for JSU Student Publications.