CHAT: Transcript of PT Session, July 17, 2007
Transcript of PT Chat, focusing on issues of interest to PT Students
July 17, 2007
Speakers: Deans Huff & Sreenivasan
{43 questions in 60 minutes}
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DeanSree(P) We will get started in a few minutes. Please send your
questions.
jvilaga(Q) I want to take two seminars instead of a seminar and a
workshop. I heard this was possible, so whom do I speak with? How unusual
is this?
DeanHuff(A) Hi All, It is quite common for part-timers to do this. Just
drop a line to dos@jrn.columbia.edu telling us why and then complete your
ballot accordingly.
trd2107(Q) Hi–Tom Davis here—I would just like to know, as a new
media concentrator, if New Media Newsroom is the next step for, if it’s a
one night course and who will teach it? And can it be taken along with
Journ Law and Society or Critical Issues?
DeanHuff(A) Hi Tom - New Media Newsroom is a required elective for
students wanting to do either a new media master’s project or the new
media workshop. If you ballot for it, we won’t put you in a section the
conflicts with CI or Law if you ballot for those as well.
jvilaga(Q) Thinking about taking Helen Benedict’s fall seminar, but that
means I’ll have to put off law. Does the school offer the law class in the
spring?
DeanHuff(A) We offer Law in the summer and fall only
Gumby(Q) After reviewing the curriculum guide posted on the DOS blog,
and looking at the online balloting site, I see that days/times for the
skills classes are not listed. Can you offer any more information?
DeanHuff(A) Skills are offered at night and on Saturdays. We will
release the schedule later this week. However, one ballots for type, not
by specific class. If you cannot do a Saturday, you need to indicate this
in the notes section of the ballot
trd2107(Q) Nevermind–you got it—I was curious if that was the natural
process, to take the newsroom right after RW1….and, is it a one night a
week class? Who exactly teaches it (there are many teacher/professors
listed)?
DeanHuff(A) It is one night a week - and all of those folks teach it
jvilaga(Q) Was looking at the evaluations for last semester. What
happened to the written comments and is there any way to get access to
that? It’s hard to judge a class on a one to five scale, with no
context….
DeanHuff(A) The University has informed us that we may only publish the
graphs.
jvilaga(Q) If I take CNS in the spring for a workship, does that mean I
become a newspaper concentrator? (I’m magazine now.) How much should I
care about that kind of a switch?
DeanHuff(A) Yes, if you take CNS you become a newspaper concentration
student. However, you shouldn’t care about it at all. These designations
are internal only. They don’t appear on the diploma or transcript. We use
them to determine subject interest so that we have the right number of
classes on offer.
lb2443(Q) On what date in August do courses begin for Broadcast
concentrators?
DeanHuff(A) For new, FT students, the classes begin on August 6. The
Introduction to TV News class for PT students doesn’t start until
September
Gumby(Q) Not a question, but a comment. I understand that the Univ has
imposed the policy of no comments posted on evaluation site unless you
edit out the potentially derogatory information. I have to say, though,
that the comments were the most useful component of the evaluations. I
hope the Univ. reconsiders.
DeanSree(A) We are going to be looking to SPJ and student leadership for
suggestions on how we can improve this.
trd2107(Q) so new media newsroom and j law in the fall, workshop and
skills in the spring, then an elective and critical issues in the
summer……sounds like a plan?
DeanHuff(A) Law is offered in the summer and CI is not, so swap those
two. Also, you need a minimum six points a term if you have student loans
jvilaga(Q) Is Diane Solway on sabbatical?
DeanHuff(A) Diane Solway is an adjunct professor so decides each term if
she will be teaching.
trd2107(Q) really? No exceptions for that?
DeanHuff(A) You mean for the six points. It isn’t our rule, but
something imposed by the student loan lenders. It is to them you would
have to reach out for exceptions.
Gumby(Q) I see that Critical Issues is offered on Thursday evening, wh
ich is the same time as a Kevin Coyne class that I am keed to take. As a
PT student, what are my chances of getting into Critical Issues during the
Friday afternoon session, when the FT take the course?
DeanHuff(A) You will get into the Friday section if you ask for it.
jvilaga(Q) I lost my press pass. To whom should I talk to get that
replaced?
DeanHuff(A) You need to go to the ID office in Kent Hall
lb2443(Q) I am a PT who began in January, switching from a magazine
concentration to a Broadcast concentration. I have only taken RWI and I am
completing my Master’s Project this summer. You mentioned the Introduction
to TV News class. Is that the same as TV Reporting and Writing?
DeanHuff(A) Yes, it is the same thing.
lb2443(Q) As a PT student, how do I express interest in taking the Radio
skills for non-credit? And does taking it for no-credit replace having to
take another 1 credit skills course?
DeanHuff(A) Once the schedule is released (later this week or early
next), you send me an e-mail to let me know which section you want. The
non-credit class DOES NOT exempt you from taking another one for credit.
trd2107(Q) are the “skills of a journalist” courses the same thing as
the “skills” required course for PT? Are they really only five weeks,
because the photojournalism one interests me (it would also get me to six
credits)?
DeanHuff(A) Yes, “skills” is short for “skills of the journalist.” And
yes they are just for five weeks.
jvilaga(Q) The new-media newsroom elective sounds pretty neat. How many
non-new-media concentrators will be allowed to take that course?
DeanHuff(A) I’m not sure at this point. It depends on how many of the PT
new media concentration folks opt to take it this term.
Mary_Bowers(Q) Hi - Mary Bowers here from London, UK - just out of
interest how many international students take the US as a foreign country
i.e. how many international students are on the course?
DeanSree(A) We have about 35 intl folks and about 25-30 will take the
course. Rest will take the law course.
trd2107(Q) if I wanted to take the photojournalism one, when is that
offered?
DeanHuff(A) The schedule will be out later this week or early next.
sp2514(Q) I would like to take both the critical issues and law class in
the Fall. Since all FT students are automatically registered, is there a
chance that I won’t be able to get into any of those classes?
DeanHuff(A) No, you will get into them, even if you want to take the
Friday versions of both.
Mary_Bowers(Q) Thanks for answering my previous question. How much are
we expected to know about New York City before we get here? As someone
who’s only visited for a weekend its a huge place to get to know as a
journalist. It seems a bit intimidating…
DeanHuff(A) Try to learn as much as you can, but know that there are a
lot of folks just like you for whom it will be new and overwhelming.
trd2107(Q) my fear is that I’ll take nw media newsroom, CI and
photojournalism, but photojournalism may conflict because the schedule’s
not out…..can I do that on my ballot anyway?
DeanHuff(A) No, that won’t happen. There are multiple sections of skills
and I won’t create a conflict for you. You will be balloting for skill
type, not a particular class even after the schedule is available. If
there is a time you cannot have such a class, note it in the additional
info section.
Julie(Q) Julie, here. I know I’ve asked about this before… But the
last I heard you were considering options… Is it possible to write the
extra features for CNS and have it counts as a 6-credit seminar or
workshop this Fall?
DeanHuff(A) Hi Julie - we haven’t made a decision as of yet. We will get
back shortly.
lb2443(Q) As a PT Broadcast concentrator, can I take a RWII course,
either Business and Financial Journalism or Techniques of Feature Writing.
If so, would these count as something other than electives?
DeanHuff(A) As a PT student (of any concentration), you need two
electives to graduate. To be a broadcast concentration student one of
those two needs to be TV News Reporting & Writing. The other can be
anything you like.
Eric_Krangel(Q) I took photo skills this summer, but am presently
working in a new media newsroom. Is it difficult to get into new media as
a 2nd skills class? Is it possible to audit it?
DeanHuff(A) Hi Eric, we don’t have auditing for skills courses. But you
can certainly ballot for new media skills. I suspect it will be easier to
get into next spring than this fall.
lb2443(Q) Will I be placed on a wait list to switch from Magazine to
Broadcast…or will I be automatically switched when I take TV Reporting
and Writing?
DeanHuff(A) If we have the space for you in the class, it will be
automatic. However as a magazine concentration student you are at a lower
priority for getting into it. That said, it probably won’t be a problem.
trd2107(Q) I know you haven’t done the schedule yet, but I work
full-time so I have to plan—do you know if the skills course,
particularly photojournalism, will be offered at night?
DeanHuff(A) All skills courses are offered at night and on Saturdays.
Gumby(Q) At what point in the semester do the skills classes start?
DeanHuff(A) They have staggered beginning and ending dates. Some start
right away and others not until October or November.
trd2107(Q) cool…..I know I’m getting way ahead of myself here, but I
saw that the master’s project is usually done in the summer, but can be
done as two separate 3 credit courses…does that mean it could be done in
the summer and fall?
DeanHuff(A) No. It is designed to be done over the summer for 6 points
or over the academic year for 3 points each semester. In rare instances,
it can be done on other schedules, but it isn’t easily accomplished.
Gumby(Q) Do you anticipate that the Literature of Nonfiction course on
Monday will be oversubscribed? Is it a difficult class to get into?
DeanHuff(A) It is popular, but not so much so that I think you stand a
chance of not getting in.
trd2107(Q) is the master’s project in a classroom setting, or is there
another arrangement?
DeanHuff(A) It depends on the adviser and how many people he/she is
advising. Some do like to hold group discussions with their students, and
others only do one to one meetings. You are more likely to meet regularly
as a group if you opt to do it over an academic year.
trd2107(Q) and those meetings could be once a week or more…I guess it
depends
DeanHuff(A) No more than once a week.
trd2107(C) thank you for your help….this makes things much clearer
Gumby(Q) Goodbye. Thank you for your time.
DeanHuff(A) You are welcome!
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