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| Shiny happy JMC people |
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| Opinions |
| Written by Violina Krasteva and Donika Valeva |
| Sunday, 27 September 2009 20:04 |
 Students pouring themselves glasses of punch with apples after All-JMC meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half. Photos by Ah Se Lee. The JMC department gathered some of its majors and minors at an All-JMC meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24, in the NAB Auditorium. This is the traditional meeting that the department holds at the beginning of each academic year in order to attract first-year students to the major and also to inform the public about changes and improvements in the department. This is also the time and place where students can learn practical information about internships, and the student media get to present themselves and hopefully recruit. This is how it is in theory. In reality, it was only a little more than a social gathering. Chair of the JMC (Journalism and Mass Communication) department, Sandra Earley, opened and hosted the meeting. Towards the beginning, professor Phelps Hawkins was supposed to answer to Earley's invitation: "Phelps, tell us who you are and why you're here." However, he ended up divulging information which Earley was supposed to present, which in turn resulted in numerous comment exchanges between the two. A new addition to the JMC department, multimedia professor John Dyer, presented himself and the course he is teaching this semester. What he had to say about the online multimedia phenomenon seemed more interesting than most of what was said altogether. He did not speak for long. Advertising and PR professor DeAnna DeRosa, as well as TV reporting professor Atanas Maleev were unfortunately not at the gathering. The presentational part of the meeting had a light, amusing tone of jokes being thrown between the professors present, but mostly between the married couple among them. That was fun, possibly. But there seemed to be little structure to the presentation and most definitely very little concrete information that can be useful to the students. A few were asked to go up and explain why they chose the major and what attracted them to JMC. No students were asked to explain why they gave up on doing JMC and either dropped the major after having declared it, or simply decided it is not worth it. And such cases, there are not few. A few students also spoke about their experiences with internships, which are compulsory for JMC students in order to graduate with the major. Unfortunately, no list of companies that are interested in taking AUBG interns was distributed as a helpful tool for people considering an internship. Instead, the audience listened to touching tales of stolen news stories and how to build self-esteem and confidence during the internship. Fortunately, there was a bit of good news as well. The department will be buying new equipment, mainly still cameras, in the Spring, and a committee will be formed to reform and improve the major's curriculum. Students are invited and encouraged to give feedback. It has been proved, however, for many years now, that the department can come up with very good ideas for improvement, but the AUBG administration is rarely enthusiastic about making it possible for them to be implemented in reality. With professor Dinka Spirovska being on sabbatical leave this semester, with no courses in design and layout or photojournalism being offered, and with capturing devices in the multimedia lab occasionally working at their full capacity for the three TV and multimedia courses, the JMC department and its students had the tastiest tiramisu in Blagoevgrad and some "sangria with wine, apples, oranges, other flavoring and other fruit" at the end of the meeting. Maybe it is our bad and we, as members of the student media, let journalism bring forward the cynical side in us so it becomes difficult to see the good in life. However, it is difficult to neglect the fact that although this All-JMC meeting was held in high spirits, with a lot of laughs and random, yet constant applause, in no way did it appear to truly serve its intended and serious purpose. But of course, whether that is really true, only time will show. |
Comments
I did not attend the meeting but these meetings usually suck. As for the professors, it is telling enough that you can do your job better. You should admit it, you shouldn’t not merely defend your suffering ego. Know how to accept criticism, especially from your students. I do agree that you have knowledge. I do not agree, however, that you know how to teach. This job, especially teaching journalism, requires a different attitude. Be creative. DeRosa, stop highlighting the chapters in the textbook and reading it in class, the students should be literate enough to do that themselves. Hawkins, why the hell do you show this movie “All the Presidents Men” each semester? Early, seriously, as a chair of the JMC department, is the situation really “shiny and happy”? Have you ever thought about the reasons why so few students choose JMC major recently? Don't blame the Eco crisis this time.
(1) At the time the opinion piece was published, Sun. Sept. 27, there were three of five capturing cameras working -- not one, as reported here -- and available for student use in the JMC multimedia lab. While only one may have been working on Friday, Sept. 18, the day a TV class needed the lab, three were working again by Wednesday, Sept. 23 and available for the TV class when it med again on Fri. Sept. 25. Yesterday, Sept. 29, all five capture cameras were in place and working -- two of them brand new. The two broken capture cameras have been sent for repair and when returned will serve as back-up devices to the five primary ones. The process worked, albeit it more slowly than we all might have wished.
(2) I am chair of the department, duly elected by members of the department and with all the responsibilitie s thereof. I am not acting chair, as reported here.
(3) Prof Derosa was not at the all-JMC meeting because she was attending a professional conference in Bucharest, Romania. Such absences for professional purposes are not only OK in the academic world, but encouraged as teachers stay abreast of their fields, present papers extending the knowledge in the discipline, etc. Prof. Derosa's professional absence was mentioned at least twice during the meeting, and it is unfortunate that the opinion writers didn't include that information. Atanas Maleev is an adjunct professor (read: part-time) and, as such, is not required to attend such department events.
(4) It is true that no list of companies willing to sponsor AUBG interns was distributed at the all-JMC meeting. Looking toward the future, the department has begun asembling two searchable databases for the eventual use of JMC majors and minors -- one for internships and one for JMC alumni and their networking needs. Again, the database news was mentioned at least twice during the meeting and it's too bad the opinion piece writers failed to acknowledge the upcoming services the department will provide.
(5) "...A committee will be formed to reform and improve the major's curriculum. " Well, not exactly and, therefore, the sentence is misleading. The faculty is under a mandate, as part of the university's accreditation process, to revise JMC curriculum. It will do so in the near future. Faculty believes that the department's customers, if you will, should be consulted on any revisions and so is asking for the names of students -- and alums -- who would be willing to consult and advise on changes. Decisions on curriculum revision will be made by faculty, and eventually approved by the university's board, I believe.
(4) "Punch with apples" was sangria with wine, apples, oranges, other flavoring and other fruit. The cost of it and the dessert -- indeed, the reception afterwards -- was borne by JMC professors and did not come out of department funds. Just to complete the record, the cost of refreshments also did not come from donations solicited from businesses or individuals who might, at some time, be the subject of stories written by JMC student journalists. It's just good professional practice to pay for our own.
(5) And a stylistic note: "only time will show" is a cliche, even in the slight change from its relative, "only time will tell." Use of either version in the professional world will cause your colleagues and your audience to ridicule you.
Yes, the department has undoubtedly many ills. It has been in a dire state for some time. But the way it is being renounced here is unfair.
Aernout was a good professor and speaker. His engaging stories have made all of us drool with insatiable curiousity. But, I cannot really remember who else was good. Fowler? His wife? Dinka?
If you look now you will see that the department has staff with expertese in different journalistic sectors. Sandra Earley is an excellent feature and editor teacher. Always finding an interesting angle (this is pretty difficulty). Phelps Hawkins is basically the TV guy. He can tell you anything you want to know; from how to hold a camera to what is going on in NBC's newsroom. DeAnna DeRosa makes her lectures so amusing and unforgettable. I personally prefer that to a monotonous professor with an accent so heavy that it's hard to carry.
Do not rant for change by throwing accusations where they don't belong. Approach everything with alacrity and something will change.
As for the All-JMC meeting, it has always been boring!
With respect,
Dr. DeAnna DeRosa
I was not present at the event but not one reporter asked the obvious question, "why?" I was at the EURPERA Congress 2009 in Romania representing public relations in Bulgaria. I care enough about my host country to pay most of my expenses to represent Bulgaria.
This is bad PR for the university and the department. Can we just back off and think?
First, don't make assumptions. The old saying, "it makes an ass out of you and me," applies. Is pizza and wine the soul of AUBG? If so, that is one shallow soul. Did anyone do any invesigating reporting to understand that professors have lost ten per cent of their income due to the falling dollar? Are they personally to pay for student's meals?
Instead of copmplaining, how about a solution? Will club money pay for pizza and wine? Or can a BTOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) arrangement be made? Can we collect a few leva from everyone for the pizzas?
The accusation that I am both a medicore professor and came to Bulgaria because it is "exotic" falls flat. If you do not like me, fine. But I represented Bulgaria in an international conference. I cared. Do you?
Can we work together for the good of everyone instead of issuing these petty insults and accusations?
Dr. DeAnna DeRosa