Opinion
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Monday, July 21,;
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EDITORIAL
Gross Disservice
Johnsons decision made without
consulting industry professionals
Current journalism students at Texas A&M may not know how
much impact the closure of A&M's journalism department will
have on their careers. Apparently, neither does Charles
Johnson. Johnson, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts, rec
ommended July 10 that A&M cut its journalism department — a
decision Johnson made without doing all of his homework.
In a meeting last week with representatives of the Former
Journalism Students Association, The Associated Press, the Dallas
Morning News and the San Antonio Express-News, Johnson said
he did not consult professionals in the journalism industry to see
how they recruit graduates. At the same time, Johnson claimed
"the bottom line is how we can sen/e students."
These two actions directly contradict each other.
Those media members attending last week's meeting told
Johnson that closing the department would have negative
effects on A&M graduates in the job market, something that
does not "serve students." The current job market is difficult
enough that closing the department will place Aggies at a
marked disadvantage when interviewing for media internships
and jobs, especially compared to graduates of the University of
Texas where there is an entire college dedicated to journalism
and communication.
In addition to hurting students, Johnson's ill-informed deci
sion will hurt A&M. He said he did not consult with those teach
ing on the high school level to see what they look for when rec
ommending a journalism program. One can be sure that a high
school journalism teacher is not going to recommend A&M to
any students who are interested in a media career, thus costing
A&M some of the state's future journalists.
It is an insult for Johnson to make a decision of this magni
tude without thoroughly researching the effects it will have on
Aggies.
While he says the bottom line is how he can serve students,
his actions show a blatant disregard for students and their edu
cation.
1 rUt/ Jt>A1 1A IN
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
EDITORIAL BOARD
True Brown News Editor
Dallas Shipp Asst. News
George Deutsch
Melissa Sullivan
C.E. Walters
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or
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Bringing Iran democracy
MATTHEW MADDOX
1 989 was perhaps the greatest and
worst year for freedom in recent
history. In Czechoslovakia, during
the “Velvet Revolution,” peaceful pro
testers brought about the nonviolent
overthrow of their communist govern
ment. But during the same year, the
world watched in horror as student-led protests in favor of
democracy were crushed by the Chinese communist government. In
Tiananmen Square, students were viciously suppressed with mili
tary tanks, resulting in the deaths of more than 500 civilians. Today,
Iran is on the verge of its own student-led democratic revolution,
and free people should not tolerate another Tiananmen Square.
America must do everything it can to support the democratic move
ment in Iran, but it must do it from the sidelines.
Democracy cannot come soon enough to Iran. In the summer of
1999, peaceful student protesters in the city of Tehran were beaten
and stabbed in their dorm rooms by supporters of the Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Hashem Aghajari, an Iranian pro
fessor and opponent of the theocratic regime, was sentenced to
death earlier this year for a campus speech that offended Iranian
religious leaders. Valentine’s Day and New Years celebrations are
also signs that the population is increasingly resistant to the extrem
ist Islamic government. In the past month, there have been renewed
pro-democracy student demonstrations across the country. Once
again though, the government has acted with an iron fist. Since ^ ^
June, there have been 4,000 demonstrators arrested.
America must strike a balance between its support of
the Iranian people’s democratic revolution and the need
for Iranians to succeed on their own. “Change has to be brought by
Iranians themselves, not foreigners,” Fatimeh Haqiqat-Ju, a parlia
ment deputy told The Associated Press. The United States must
not hesitate to support the Iranian cause for democracy, but must
be cautious about jumping in with both feet. There is another cost
to direct military intervention in Iran other than the human and
financial ones. In an area of the world where America is viewed
suspiciously, direct intervention might rob the democracy move
ment of popularity.
Popularity is currently not a problem for the demonstrators as the
Iranian population is ripe for a revolution. Students, while the most
vocal group wishing for a change of government, only make up a
small group of such supporters. Nearly half of the population is
under the age 25, raised oppressed after the establishment of the
theocratic regime. In addition, women, a group that constitutes half
the country, are without full rights under the hard-line government.
While the rights of Iranian people are important, there are even
greater reasons for democracy.
Democracy in Iran could bring stability to the region, especially
neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan. This would eliminate the second
member of the Axis of Evil without shedding American blood and
dollars. Recently, the United Nations’ request to test for a nuclear
weapons program was rejected by the Iranian government. The
White House has made it clear that America may disarm Iran if the
preserved threat of weapons is great enough. Ayatollah Hashemi v
Rafsanjani, Iran’s fonrier president and current leader of the coun
try’s highest religious governing body, said last year that on the day
the Muslim world gets nuclear weapons, the people of Israel will be
easily killed “since a single atomic bomb has the power to complete
ly destroy Israel, while an Israeli counter-strike can only cause par
tial damage to the Islamic world.” So much for a Palestinian state.
Iran must shed its radical Islamic government to have freedom.
Currently, elected Iranian officials are powerless. Iran's President
Muhammad Khatami, while called a reformist, does not have the
power that the religious councils do and has been unwilling to chal
lenge them. Actually leading the government are two branches of
unelected radical Islamic leaders, called mullahs. Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a self-proclaimed messenger of God, has
complete dictatorial power over the government. Because of the
Islamic government, Iranian schools are not effective since they can
not have full dialogue as long as professors and students fear dra
conian retribution for their thoughts. Communications in the coun
try will not keep the public aware of their world until the govern
ment discontinues its censorship. Women will never be equals in a
country religiously dedicated to their inferiority. Extremist Islam not
only strikes in the form of international terrorism, but as domestic
oppression as well.
The best route for America is constant and consistent verbal sup
port. Secretary of State Colin Powell said recently that Washington
wanted to encourage “those (in Iran)...seeking the right to speak
out.” A firm message that recognizes the current government of Iran
as part of the Axis of Evil, not the Iranian people as terrorists, is
important. Also vital is the message that Iran is not a true democra
cy that supports the inalienable rights of the Iranian people. America
can help by keeping the regime’s allies, including Russia, at bay.
The United States must use the strongest diplomatic means possible
to stop another Tiananmen Square, but it must let Iranian people
Matthew Maddox is a senior
management major.
Graphic by Seth Freeman
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MAIL CALL
Soldier's wife won't get
A&M journalism degree
I am in the process of transferring to
Texas A&M. Well, I was. I was going to
study journalism. I have waited longer
than most undergrads to get my
degree. Since I am a Marine Corps wife,
I don't have much say over where I live
or where I finish school.
After two universities, I feel I have the
right to be picky. I mapped it out: My
goal is to have a BA in journalism from
a prominent school.
Since my husband returned from
Iraq, we have been planning to move
to College Station. You see, out of all of
the journalism programs in the country,
A&M fit my criteria. Being an Aggie him
self, my husband willingly gave up opti
mal career opportunities for me to
have the Aggie experience that had
molded him.
I did not take my research lightly. I
found lists upon lists of top journalism
programs. In the journalism world,
A&M is on the map! I'm afraid that
being stuck in an academic bubble, the
decision makers and department
heads at A&M might not realize that. It
is considered an honor to have a jour
nalism degree from A&M.
A&M was the school that was going
to provide for me the opportunity for
which I've been waiting.
Students who are serious about jour
nalism, as I am, are not going to be
apathetic if bumped to the English
department. I am already editing and
writing for magazines; I do not need
someone to teach me how to read and
write. I need an education that will
fine-tune the skills I need to someday
run my own magazine.
While reading comments about the
department's closing, I came across
one that said something to the effect
that it’s not a journalism degree that
matters, it's that it says "Texas A&M"
across the top. Is that what education is
at A&M - a piece of paper with the
school’s name on it? For me an educa
tion is what I learn while I'm earning
that piece of paper.
Students seeking a journalism degree
will come to A&M, probably sometime
around Thanksgiving, and they'll be
wearing that nasty burnt orange! I'm
sure I do not know all the details of the
closing department, but I am appalled
that they are giving up the fight so
quickly.
Ginny Fisher
Professors alone make
journalism 'worth saving'
Dr. Charles Johnson,
As a journalism graduate, I am per
plexed at your decision to cut the
department entirely. I understand you
intend to keep the jobs of the faculty
and to promote incoming students to
migrate to other majors, though I
have no idea what in the world I
learned in any other major about
copy editing, the structure, design
and layout of a newspaper, or of Dr.
Douglas Starr's "cut-the-fluff" style of
writing a news story. Professors like
Starr and Ron George make the jour
nalism department worth saving, and
I am a better person having learned
under their guidance.
As a journalism student, I recognize
the problems that exist within the
department and probably would have
a few suggestions to throw your way
after I say my peace, but it seems a bit
spineless to take a problem and cut
your losses instead of creatively arriv
ing at a solution that could possibly
save a very necessary department. I
realize it must be difficult in your
position to have to make these deci
sions and to please all people, all the
time, but when it comes to the edu
cation of students who are willing
and able to learn and excel you defi
nitely do not receive an "E" for effort.
I am not sure what can be done
about your little "recommendation"
to cut the journalism department, or
if its even a recommendation at all,
but I do know that men like Starr,
whom I consider YOUR department's
"diamond in the rough," have the
experience, knowledge and gumption
to make this department what it
needs to be. I don’t know if you have
ever sat down and talked with the
man, that wasn't in a business meet
ing, or discussing curriculum, but I
strongly suggest you do. The life that
he has lived in journalism and that he
pours into his students gave life to
your dying department. You want a
solution? Then rethink this decision,
because the back-lash you will
receive as not only a liberal arts dean
but as a Texas A&M educator will ring
in your ears for years to come.
I will leave you with this final thought
from the world's greatest piece of liter
ature and truth. "Through wisdom a
house is built, and by understanding it
established" — Proverbs 24:3. When
you encounter journalism students in
the future and they look at you like
you're a fool, then remember this
proverb and I hope it brings under
standing.
Jon Griffey
Class of 2002
a
... it seems a bit spineless to
take a problem and cut your
losses instead of creatively
arriving at a solution that could
possibly save a very necessary
department.
— Jon Griffey
Class of 2002
Journalism closure robs
students of opportunities
I took a photojournalism class in the
department of journalism. It was an
excellent class with and amazing prof
(Howard Eilers).
I would hate to see such a great pos
sible experience for future students go
to waste. Much has been lost from the
Aggie traditions and experiences in the
last few years, and I'm afraid this one
won't be appreciated until it has been
added to that list. Let us not consoli
date on the impression that something
is expendable, let us work to improve
what could be, and is, a valuable
resource at hand for the Fightin' Texas
Aggies!
Chris Niebuhr
Class of 2003
Insurance problems hit
graduate students hard
Although we are happy that A&M has
pledged to cover single graduate stu
dents' health insurance premiums, we
are disappointed that under A&M
President Robert M. Gates' plan, the
students needing the most help -
those with spouses and children — are
still hit hard.
A typical graduate student with a wife
and child, after taxes, makes just $1,000
per month and has to pay mandatory
tuition ($444/month) often including no
classes but just research. In September,
this student will pay $281/month for
health insurance instead of $108. This
leaves just $275 to take home. Many will
opt to leave themselves and their chil
dren uninsured and use that $281 for
rent and food.
Worst hit are the international stu
dents who are required by law to carry
health insurance and are not allowed to
seek any supplemental employment.
This plan will force some students to
drop out, sometimes after having
acquired significant debts. Hiring qual
ity graduate students will become
more difficult as A&M will present a
less competitive graduate school
(compared to the University of Texas,
which routinely gives significant tuition
reimbursement). This hurts A&M at its
very roots, as grad students are at inte
gral parts of both the teaching and
research missions.
Dr. Gates' plan to hire 100 new facul
ty every year for the next four years
aims to expand A&M and foster excel
lence in research and education but it
is clear that all else being equal, top
faculty will not choose A&M knowing
they will be unable to obtain good grad
students to work on their projects and
help them teach.
To help, A&M could give some tuition
reimbursement to pay part of the pre
miums of graduate students who are
parents and/or married to pay these
students to work for more than the
normal 20 hours. Another way would
be to slightly cut down the number of
new faculty hires. Not allowing the
Legislature to erode our graduate
school would send the message that
A&M cares about the quality of
research and teaching. This presents a
more direct path to Vision 2020 than
the proposed alternative.
Prepared by physics graduate stu
dents, representatives and signed by
278 students.