Reaccreditation

To inform, enlighten and champion freedom of speech and press – what an amazing vision. This is not just a vision; this is our mission in the field of journalism and mass communication.

Guided by the principles of accreditation, there are those that rise above by achieving a certain level of professionalism and excellence who are to be honored and recognized. Dr. David Craig is one of Gaylord’s own elite professors, sharing with us how difficult, rewarding and eye-opening the reaccreditation process is. The purpose of accreditation is to make certain Gaylord’s educational programs meet a high set of nine standards including review of governance, diversity, curriculum, faculty, scholarship, advising, facilities, professional and public service and assessment of student learning outcomes. 

Involved in five accreditation processes, Craig brings an abundance of experience and accomplishments to the table including full-professor rank for 11 years, a Presidential Professorship, and research as Gaylord Chair involving the ethical development of students in their early work lives. He teaches the journalism senior capstone and journalism ethics at the undergrad level, and qualitative research methods and a media ethics seminar at the graduate level. 

Craig says the preparation for the reaccreditation process is ongoing for six years and was extended a year because of the pandemic. Gaylord must work on the plan continuously, giving it sustained attention and focus so the strategy is in place and executed when it is time to complete the self-study and host the reaccreditation site team. The self-study report submitted in fall 2021 was 204 pages, excluding supplemental attachments. 

The reaccreditation site team, which visited Nov. 7-10, was very complimentary of the support our faculty and staff give to students. Upon their departure, they noted the sense of family/community and the brand strength of Gaylord. They also highlighted the quality of preparation for students entering the job market, referencing how competitive our students are in the field. 

It has been recommended that Gaylord move forward to full reaccreditation. This recommendation will go to a committee of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and an ACEJMC council this spring. They will be doing the final review. 

In conclusion, there has never been a better time to share what accreditation is, and how the field of journalism and mass communication incorporates a high level of standards, accountability, ethics and integrity in our work and the verification process before information is shared with the world on a daily basis. It is so important to let the world know that mainstream media is the most reliable source of information due to the quality of people, education, institutions and our code of ethics.