FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT

Kerry-Ann Hamilton
Media Relations Manager
(202) 238-2332
k_hamilton@ howard.edu

Howard University John H. Johnson School of Communications Recommended
for Re-Accreditation

WASHINGTON (Nov. 18, 2009) The site team of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) recommended that the John H. Johnson School of Communications be re-accredited on November 18, 2009.

The School was found in compliance on all nine standards set forth by ACEJMC including Mission, Governance and Administration; Curriculum and Instruction; Diversity and Inclusiveness; Faculty; Scholarship; Student Services; Resources, Facilities and Equipment; Professional and Public Service; and Assessment of Learning Outcomes.

According to the site team report, the School has “a hard-working, nurturing, and collegial faculty who share a common vision and are committed to students’ professional and personal development.” The report also cited the students as a strength in the school, calling them “poised, confident, engaged and articulate.”

Other strengths stated in the report were:

- Alliances and partnerships with major industry and government organizations.

- An impressive and sustained service record by faculty and administrators, which earns them respect.

- Aggressive multi-faceted advising and retention programs orchestrated by experienced and dedicated advisors that received high praise and widespread appreciation from students.

- Small class sizes in courses across the board that create a lively teaching atmosphere with active student participation.

- An established and well-managed internship program that places many students in top communications companies.

- A notable and forward-thinking diversity program of highly visible initiatives that bring recognition and prestige to the School.

- A unique and distinctive assessment program that actually evaluates the assessment process, and then uses findings to improve the assessment plan. Real transparency in sharing candid results from direct-measure testing with faculty, and an open discussion of findings.

The report did reiterate a weakness: the need for a new facility to house the John H. Johnson School of Communications.

“The C. B. Powell building, although historically significantly and kept clean, shows its age with continual problems that can disrupt faculty and students; and due to the maze-like configuration and limited space, does not allow the School to fully realize its goals and showcase its achievements," the site team's report added.

The recommendation for re-accreditation will be forwarded to the Committee of ACEJMC in March and the final determination for re-accreditation will be made by the Council of ACEJMC in April.

About the John H. Johnson School of Communications
The Howard University John H. Johnson School of Communications has produced many outstanding professionals in communications including: Janice McKenzie Crayton, President of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Atlanta, Keisha N. Brown, senior vice president and general manager, LAGRANT Foundation, Depelsha Thomas-McGruder, senior vice president, Business Operations & Strategy, MTV Networks, Genelle Niblack, vice president, Clear Channel Radio Sales, Constance Cannon Frazier, vice president, American Advertising Federation (AAF), Fredricka Whitfield, CNN news anchor; Vicki Mabrey, ABC Nightline (formerly of CBS 60 Minutes II); Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist formerly at The New York Times; and Lesli Foster, news anchor at WUSA, Channel 9.

About Howard University
Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, a Truman Scholar, 19 Fulbright Scholars and 10 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D.s than any other university in the world. For more information about Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University's Web site at www.howard.edu.