Late 1999 preview issue
Deconstructing Mendocino College Journalism: the McLelland proposal of May 12, 1997
At odds with reality
Recently, the author of the above-referenced proposal testified about "disruption of our little campus newspaper" (presumably referring to the false Eagle currently being distributed, to the excruciating embarrassment of anyone who knows what college newspapers can be.)
A quick comparison of a few of McLelland's points as outlined in her 1997 proposal with the current state of the "newspaper" being produced under the "Eagle" name should quickly remove any illusions that the changes in Mendocino College's journalism program are about "quality."
1.--What was written then: we should "renew (our) commitment to the importance of a newspaper (a) as a central medium of information and communication for...students, faculty and staff, and the district it serves and (b) as a medium for instruction in a variety of disciplines."
The 1999 reality: Wasn't there supposed to be a November 1999 issue? [note/update: the November 1999 issue has finally made an appearance; unfortunately for the hapless staff, the calendar now says "December." As one might expect, much of the information is outdated, while the sheer volume of execrable errata demonstrates how little the delay in publication helped, or could help, in the absence of talent.] The minimum measure of commitment has to be the production of something; beyond that truism, can anyone claim with a straight face that the current product is "central" or even relevant to campus life?
2.--What was written then: "Our goal is a college newspaper written, produced, and managed solely by students."
The 1999 reality: a college newspaper produced, edited and managed by the faculty advisor with the sporadic participation of a mostly absentee editor and staff.
3.--What was written then: "Organize the administrative and faculty reponsiblities to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of a campus newspaper."
The 1999 reality: Marya Legrand's comments are pertinent: "...Crucial elements are omitted when 'interdepartmental' is defined as merely English, Graphic Arts, Computer Science and Business...Journalism...(is) rightly the venue of Communication as well as the Social and Political Sciences."
In considering the state of journalism at Mendocino College at the turn of the century,consider the Oct. 1997 Eagle staff response to the McLelland proposal. Now ask yourself who is vindicated by subsequent events and by the present level of excellence of the alleged "Eagle."
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