The Daily Plan-it / Dean of Students Blog, Columbia J-school

Part-Time May 2008 Orientation
Friday, May 23rd, 2008

8:30 am:

• Pick up name tags and Orientation Folders: Lobby
• Coffee and pastries: World Room

9:00 am - Welcome: World Room

• Prof. Laura Muha, Director of the Part-Time Program
• Leon Braswell, Director of Admissions & Financial Aid
• Melanie Huff, Assistant Dean of Students
• Ernest Sotomayor, Assistant Dean of Career Services

10:00 am: Break

10:15 am: Computer Activation

• Cabral 501A Lab
• Whitehouse 601A Lab
• Reisig 607C Lab

11:00 am: World Room

• Prof. Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs
• Student Panel led by David Ressel, J’07 “Succeeding as a Part-Time Student”
  A group of part-time students discuss life at the J-school

12:00 pm: Box lunch, World Room

12:30 - 1:30pm:

• Pick up your Columbia University ID
• Financial Aid: 202 Kent Hall

2:00 pm-4:00 pm: First session with Professors

• Beth Whitehouse, Room 607A
• Roberta Reisig, Room 602
• Maria Elena Cabral, Room 501A

4-5:30 pm: Talk by Brian McDonald followed by a Reception: Student Center
hosted by the Dean of Student Affairs

Brian McDonald alumni of the PT program and author of four books in 10 years, will discuss his new book, “Last Call at Elaine’s: A Journey From One Side Of The Bar To The Other” and what he learned at Columbia Journalism School.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Beth Whitehouse - 10:30 am – 1:30pm: Walking Tour
In front of the Starbucks on Allen & Delancey St. (80 Delancey St.)

Roberta Reisig & Maria Elana Cabral - 8:15am - 5:30pm:
Meet 116th & Amsterdam
All Day Bus Trip to Brooklyn, Red Hook, Gowanus & more

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - First Class
Roberta Reisig: 7 pm - 10 pm - 601C
Maria Elana Cabral: 7 pm - 9 pm - 607A

Saturday, May 31, 2008 - First ClassBeth Whitehouse: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - 302 Hamilton

**Our building is closed that day for electrical repairs, so Beth’s class will be held in

302 Hamilton (parallel to our building, on the other side of campus)**

Message from LynNell Hancock, Interim Dean of Academic Affairs

Dear Students and Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce three major additions to our new media
efforts at the Journalism School.

The first is the appointment of one our most popular adjuncts, Duy
Linh Tu, to the full-time faculty. Duy (pronounced “Do” - see bio
below) joins us as new media coordinator and an assistant professor of
professional practice. As you know, he has been teaching here for
several years in the new media classrooms. He will intensify his
efforts to “webbify” our fall classes, and to integrate new and
compelling ideas in multimedia storytelling throughout the curriculum
in the years to come. Duy will continue to work with Dean Sree
Sreenivasan, who, as you know, has increased administrative
responsibilities at the school.

In addition, we have created two new post-graduate New Media
Fellowships starting this year. These July-June fellowships will
employ two students who will work closely with the technology staff to
help students and professors alike navigate the world of new media
journalism.

Our inaugural fellows are Kenan Davis and Dave Mayers (see bios
below). Part-teaching assistants, part-technologists, this year’s
fellows are both smart journalists with terrific reporting, writing,
editing and production skills. They will report to Duy.

Please join me in congratulating them. Kenan and Dave officially begin
their duties on July 1, but I am sure you will have other
opportunities to greet them before then.

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From: Larry Fried, Asst. Dean for Technology

Dear Students,

Please make note of the following technology items as we approach the end of the academic year:

Equipment and Fines:

All checked out equipment should be returned no later than May 15th.

Equipment fines must by paid by May 16th or you may have a hold placed
on your diploma. If you wish to dispute a fine, please email Craig at
ch2314[at]columbia.edu.
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End-of-Year Manual

May 2008
TO: All Students
FROM: Melanie Huff, Assistant Dean of Students

In order to help you plan for Graduation and beyond, we have prepared some documents for you - please make sure you read both carefully.

Journalism Day, the Journalism School graduation ceremony and the University graduation are covered in detail on the graduation page.

Post-graduation use of the building/equipment and alumni benefits/services are covered here.

Please keep in mind that this summer extensive construction work is taking place along with work to repair and prepare the building and equipment for the next academic year. Therefore, it is necessary to establish dates after which graduating students will no longer be able to access and use the facilities. Outlined below is the schedule for the coming summer.

Part of the reason for the tight deadlines is that the two new summer Part-time RWI classes begin on Friday, May 23.

Use of Journalism Building Facilities After May 21
Use of Building:
Members of the Class of 2008 will have access to the building and its facilities through June 30, 2008.

Exceptions include: any area under construction, and any classrooms and computer rooms being used for summer classes or special programs. If you are in one of these rooms when a class is scheduled to begin, please leave immediately. Refusal to cooperate may result in the termination of your access to the building.

Broadcast students may use the broadcast equipment, as available, until June 30. Please remember that scheduled summer school classes and members of the part-time class working on their master’s projects, as well as necessary equipment maintenance upgrades, have priority for equipment and editing rooms.

Please be aware that individual computer rooms will be closed at different times for maintenance and upgrading. Though it is likely, it is not guaranteed that there will always be a computer room or terminal available. Due to maintenance schedules, summer class schedules and the part-time students’ master’s projects, it is possible that you will be unable to use a computer at a specific time.

Student Lockers:
In order to get ready for the construction and the incoming part-time students, all May graduates must empty their lockers by noon, Friday, 23.

Continuing part-time students and News 21 fellows may keep their lockers. Graduates who will be working on a demo tape or other approved projects during the month of June may also keep their lockers. To request such a locker extension, please send e-mail to cc2964@columbia.edu with your name and the reason for your request.

Graduates’ lockers that have not been vacated by noon on Friday, May 23, will be have their locks removed and contents moved to a storage bin and eventually discarded. All locker questions should be directed to Melanie Huff.

Student Mailboxes:
The mailboxes of graduating students may be used until noon, Friday, May 23 as well. All items remaining in boxes after that date will be discarded. Continuing students (& News 21) will be able to access their mailboxes on the first floor hallway over the summer.

Computers:
Graduating students will retain access to computer resources through June 30, 2008. Afterwards you will be unable to use the computer labs, print, or access your network storage. Please be sure to backup all of your files to external media (CDs, DVDs, flash media, iPods, etc.) before your account is deactivated.

E-mail:
Please see the alumni services/benefits section below for full details.

University Services After May 21

Health Services
Access to Health Services at the University expires on August 31 for all graduating students. For those with major medical health insurance through Columbia (Chickering), coverage ends on July 31 for M.S. students. Coverage for all other students ends on August 31. You do have the option of purchasing an extention on this policy. Please see http://www.health.columbia.edu/index.html for details.

University Libraries
Recent alumni will retain full library privileges, including borrowing privileges and access to licensed electronic databases, for a period of three months beyond the degree conferral date. Access information can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/services/lio/access/. Library Services for alumni can be found at http://www.alumni.libraries.columbia.edu/

Dodge Physical Fitness Center (aka the Gym)
You may use the gym over the summer with your current CUID. However, you will have to pay the $91 gym use fee. Beginning in September, you will be eligible for alumni gym use. Please see http://alumni.columbia.edu/visit/s5_1.html

Alumni Benefits and Services

A variety of benefits and services are available to Journalism School graduates. This page answers most of your most questions and concerns, from auditing a class at Columbia to updating your address information, from obtaining a transcript of your time here to using Columbia’s recreational facilities - http://snipurl.com/cugsj_alumni

Please note that you will automatically be subscribed to your class list serve using the real world e-mail address supplied in your graduation survey (more details en route from Career Services). Your Columbia e-mail will remain an actual e-mail account through the summer, but then you will have to convert it to an alias to which your e-mail is sent and then forwarded to your real world account. Instructions are available at http://alumni.columbia.edu/access/s2_2.html.

Dear Journalism Students,

The evaluation system (https://courseworks.columbia.edu/) for students to provide feedback about their classes will be live for the Spring 2008 semester on Thursday, May 1, 2008. PT January RWI, MA Seminar in Discipline, and MS Workshop and Seminar professors will be scheduling lab time for you to complete these. If you are not enrolled in any of these courses, please complete all your evaluations on your own. The deadline for completion is Tuesday, May 27 , 2008, at 9 p.m.

Your role in providing feedback via course evaluations is of vital importance to the Journalism School. The information is used by faculty to evaluate their syllabi and to refine their practices and by the administration to make curriculum decisions and assess professor performance.

Course evaluations are one element in tenure, promotion and contract decisions; they can affect professors’ careers at Columbia.

Future students also use the information to make informed balloting choices.

We ask that you take your time and seriously reflect on your learning experience as you provide an honest answer to each question. You do not have to complete all the forms in one sitting. However, once you begin working on the form for a given class you must complete and submit it before exiting the system. Partially completed forms are not stored.

Please be aware that professors won’t have access to your evaluations of them until after they have submitted their evaluations of your performance.

Please note, we have no control over the system once the deadline has passed. Every semester students contact us after the deadline asking to fill in the form or to make edits to their evaluations, and there is nothing we can about those situations. Please be certain to complete all evaluations by the, Tuesday, May 27, 9 p.m. deadline.

Between Thursday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 27, you will receive reminders every two days for each evaluation that you have yet to complete. These automatic reminders are generated by the CourseWorks system.

Thank you for your assistance.

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

Summer 2008 Curriculum

REPORTING AND WRITING I
Section 1
Day/Time: MW 7:00pm-10:00pm
Location: M 607A; W 607C
Instructor: Robin Reisig
Madatory Orientation - May 23
Mandatory Bus Tour - May 24
First class - May 28
Last class - August 27
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Dear Continuing Students:

For those of you NOT graduating this semester, we are hosting two summer information sessions:

• Wednesday, February 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Stabile Student Center
• Tuesday, March 11, 6-7 p.m. in the Stabile Student Center.

We will discuss what classes might be offered in the summer and how you can plan for your Master’s Projects (if you are thinking of doing it during the summer).

It’s early enough that we haven’t finalized everything and this gives us a chance to get a sense of what you are interested in as well.

We realize not everyone will be able to attend one of these events, so we will circulate via e-mail the information discussed in person.

We will also be conducting an online survey.

A quick note to say hello to our new PT January 2008 class, which has its orientation today. Fifteen students from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests begin RW1 today, studying with Prof. Ruth Padawer.

Good luck, everyone.

Ballots go live at 7 a.m on Wednesday, November 21

Welcome to the Spring Ballots for M.S. and Knight Bagehot Students

Please carefully follow the instructions below.

• First, please read the Fall Curriculum thoroughly (http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2007/11/19/memo-spring-2008-curriculum/). Some information has been added and some changed since the document became available.
• You may read students’ evaluations of many of the classes and professors at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/. You will have to log in using your UNI and password.
• To complete the ballot you will need your Columbia e-mail address and PID (If you have lost your PID, please refer to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2005/11/14/faq-how-do-i-find-my-pid/)
• The ballots are NOT handled on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you make the deadline (Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 a.m. ) you have equal standing with all other students.
• If your ballot is received after the deadline, you will be placed in classes on a space available basis.
• If you made a mistake or changed your mind, please resubmit your ballot. Your most recently-submitted ballot as of the deadline (Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 a.m.) will be the one processed.
• If you experience any problems using the ballot, please send e-mail to dos@jrn.columbia.edu
• Please note we cannot promise students they will gain a seat in any specific class.

Spring 2008 Ballot

Please note that this document is updated regularly! Last updated 12/13, 2:48 p.m.

12/13/2007 Updates

• Producing a Magazine B with Jim Kelly will meet on Fridays, 2:30-5:30 pm

12/12/2007 Updates

• Second section of Business Reporting added - Prof. Paul Ingrassia

11/27/2007 Updates

• Literary Journalism will meet Fridays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

11/26/2007 Updates

• Christopher Lehmann-Haupt will teach the Literary Journalism workshop
• Elizabeth Pochoda will teach the Magazine Editing elective

M.S. Spring 2008 Curriculum Guide

TO: All M.S. Students
FROM: David A. Klatell, Vice Dean
RE: Spring Curriculum

Here is the program of instruction for the spring term. Full-time M.S. students are required to take a 6-credit Reporting and Writing Seminar, a 6-credit Media Workshop, the Master’s Project and fulfill the requirement for a 3-credit journalism elective or an approved 3-credit graduate course outside the school.

In addition, all full-time magazine concentrators will be automatically enrolled the Delacorte Evening Lecture Series (one-half credit). Part-time students concentrating in magazine may elect to take the lecture series in spring 2008 or 2009.

Students should read this material thoroughly and, after discussing the options with their advisers and the various instructors, rank their preferences on the online ballot (available as of November 21, 7:00 a.m. from the DOS Blog).

Enrollment in classes may be subject to the consent of instructors and most course enrollments are necessarily limited. As a result, some students may be assigned to classes that may not be among their top three picks. This is done as fairly and equitably as possible. If circumstances warrant, it may be possible to add a second section for certain classes, with different instructors. However, we cannot guarantee that we will add sections to any course, no matter the demand.

The curriculum reflects the best judgment of the faculty and administration, based on our many years of experience, and is not a popularity contest. We reserve the right to add, delete or move courses (though we try to keep this to a minimum) and sometimes have to change instructors if schedule conflicts become intractable. Students are required to rank their preferences for seminars, workshops, and electives.

Students should be aware that evaluations of courses by students in previous years are available for your perusal; they are available at www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/.

The on-line ballot will be activated at 7:00 a.m., November 21. Your completed ballot must be submitted on line no later than November 28, 7 a.m. All ballots received during this time will be considered equal – this is not a “first-come, first-served” process.

The Journalism School’s spring semester begins Tuesday, January 22, when the first draft of Master’s Projects must be submitted to your adviser by 10 a.m. Students completing broadcast or new media projects should consult with their advisers regarding the format of the first draft. Deadlines for subsequent master’s drafts have been set for February 25 and March 24, both days at 10 a.m. You will receive detailed instructions as those dates grow closer.

Please Note: Wednesday, January 23 there will be a full-day of mandatory programming for full-time M.S. students; all others are welcome. Workshops begin Thursday, January 24 or Friday, January 25. Seminars begin either Monday, January 28 or Tuesday, January 29. Journalism School electives start Wednesday, January 30.

Classes taught elsewhere in the University begin the week of January 22 (except for Law & Business School courses which may begin earlier). Be sure to check with your instructors for exact dates and times.

Required courses for full-time students:
1. Advanced Reporting and Writing Seminars (J6002y), 6 credits
2. Media Workshops (J6011y), 6 credits
3. Master’s Project II (J6041y), 3 credits
4. Spring term electives (J6010y), 3 credits

How a Week Looks in the Spring:

• Monday and Tuesday: Reporting and writing Seminars
• Wednesday: Most Electives and time for Master’s Projects
• Thursday and Friday: Most Workshops
• Saturday and Sunday: Some Electives and Workshops

Note: Many courses require special class meetings (field trips, editorial meetings, etc.) in addition to the listed class time. All students, particularly those in the part-time program, should check with the faculty to ascertain if their course has such additional requirements. Many faculty members have posted these on the school web site, linked to their name on the faculty page or to the course description in this document.

Advanced Reporting and Writing Seminars
J6002y (6 credits)
The disciplines of reporting and writing are structured around specialized subject areas or style techniques. These seminars usually require two full days each week on Monday and Tuesday - you should carefully check the schedule of each course by consulting the faculty or their class schedules posted on the web site.
They are listed below with the instructors (see later pages for fuller course descriptions). Because accommodating all first choices is unlikely, students must indicate six choices. In filling out the ballots, students should list specific seminars in order of their preferences.
Note: Admission to some seminars requires the instructor’s approval in advance (see course descriptions below). If you have been selected by Judith Crist, Sam Freedman, or Ari Goldman you will be asked to indicate so on your ballot. These classes will be filled prior to the ballot, so if you have not been pre-selected by the professor, you will not be able to submit a ballot requesting those classes.

All professors are allowed to select 10 of the students who ballot for their class as a first choice; the remaining seats are filled by the Dean of Students office in a manner that is intended to equalize students’ success in getting at least some of their first-choice classes.

The Seminars (J6002y):

• Book Writing – Sam Freedman
• Business & Economics Reporting – Cheryl Strauss Einhorn
• Covering Education – LynNell Hancock
• Covering Religion – Ari Goldman
• Writing About the Arts – Claudia Roth Pierpont
• The Deadline in Depth – Laura Muha
• Human Rights Reporting – Bill Berkeley
• Covering Race and Ethnicity With an Authentic Voice – Arlene Morgan and Alice Pifer
• International Affairs Reporting – Josh Friedman
• The Investigative Project – Walt Bogdanich
• The Journalism of Tomorrow – Stephen Isaacs
• National Affairs Reporting A – John Martin
• National Affairs Reporting B – Richard Wald
• Covering Conflict – Judith Matloff
• Personal & Professional Style – Judith Crist
• Science Reporting – Steve Hall
• Stabile Investigative Seminar – Sheila Coronel
• Business & Economics Reporting - Paul Ingrassia

Workshops
J6011y (6 credits):
Media workshops include a number of options: broadcast (TV — Nightly News, Documentary, Magazine Production, and Radio), newspaper (Bronx Beat, Columbia News Service), magazine (Producing a Magazine, Magazine Writing, Literary Journalism) and New Media. Students devote at least two days each week, usually Thursday and Friday, to the workshop. Note: schedules vary widely, so you should check with the faculty member for details or his/her posting on the web site.

All professors allowed to select 10 of the students who ballot for their class as a first choice; the remaining seats are filled by the Dean of Students office in a manner that is intended to equalize students’ success in getting at least some of their first-choice classes.

The Workshops (J6011y)

• Television Documentary – Jon Alpert
• Nightly News – William Wheatley
• Radio - John Dinges
• Television News Magazines – Betsy West
• Literary Journalism – Christopher Lehmann-Haupt
• Magazine Writing A - John Bennet
• Magazine Writing B – Stephen Fried
• Magazine Writing C – Cathleen McGuigan
• Producing a Magazine A - Victor Navasky
• Producing a Magazine B – Jim Kelly
• New Media A– Duy Linh Tu and Carla Baranauckas
• New Media B –Adam Glenn and Russell Chun
• Bronx Beat – Addie Rimmer
• Columbia News Service – Bruce Porter

Master’s Project II
J6041y (3 credits) — a continuation of Journalism J6040x

Master’s Project Deadlines:

• Jan. 22: First draft of all Master’s Projects (for audio/video projects, the “work cut”) will be handed in to your advisor by 10 a.m.
• Feb. 25: Second draft of all Projects (for video projects, a “rough cut”) will be handed in to your advisor by 10 a.m.
• Mar. 24: Final versions of all Projects handed to the Academic Dean’s office, in Room 701, by 10 a.m. No changes are allowed after this deadline. This copy is ultimately filed in the library.

Note: These deadlines are strict and must be met. Your adviser may require additional deadlines and drafts.

Electives
6014y (3 credits)
All full-time M.S. students are required to take an elective for at least three credits at the graduate level in the spring term — either inside or outside the school. Most Journalism electives meet once a week for lectures and/or seminar discussions, and require reading as well as written assignments. Outside electives must be approved by the Dean of Students office.

For outside course information, please see: http://snipurl.com/1tn6z

The Electives (6014y)

Advanced Computer Assisted Reporting – Tom Torok
• Advanced Photojournalism - Sara Barrett
• Broadcast News Management - David McCormick and Lloyd Siegel
• Feature Writing A - Alexandra Peers
• Feature Writing B – Hugh Eakin
• Graphics in the Newsroom - Hannah Fairfield Wallander
• The International Newsroom – Ann Cooper
• Magazine Editing – Elizabeth Pochoda
• Narrative Writing A - Kevin Coyne
• Narrative Writing B – Jacob Levenson
• New Media Elective – Jennifer Brown & Jennifer Johnson
• News Editing – Nancy Sharkey
• Opinion Writing – Gwenda Blair
• Politics and the Press in America - Evan Cornog
• Radio Documentary – Alex Blumberg
• Sports Journalism – Sandy Padwe
• Stabile Investigative Techniques - J. Robert Port
• Tough Choices: Decision-Making in Journalism – Michael Shapiro
• History of American Journalism – Andie Tucher
• Covering Ideas – Alexander Stille
• 20th Century Politics, Revolution and Literary Journalism – Michael Janeway

Delacorte Evening Lecture Series
J6050y (1/2 credit)
Thursday 7pm - 8:30 p.m.
FT magazine concentrators are automatically enrolled in the Delacorte Magazine Lectures, to be offered Thursday evenings 7-8:30 p.m. from February 7 through April 24. All other students are invited to attend. Part-time students concentrating in magazine may elect to take the Lecture Series in spring 2008 or 2009.

InternshipJ6099y (1/2 credit, optional)
Internships must be pre-approved by the Office of Career Services and the Dean of Students office. A student who undertakes an internship at a media organization can earn an additional academic one-half credit if the work consists of serious journalistic enterprise. At the conclusion of the internship, the student must submit a written description of what he or she has accomplished and learned in the internship, and an official of the media company must send a separate letter corroborating that and evaluating the student’s performance.

SEE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AFTER THE JUMP.
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Prof. Michael Shapiro will be holding an information session on this exciting, new, spring elective:

DAY: Thursday
DATE: November 15
TIME: 12-1 p.m.
LOCATION: 607B

More information on the class is below. Questions to Prof. Shapiro at ms106@columbia.edu.

Decision-Making in Journalism (3-point spring elective)

A ponderous title for what might be better called The Boss Class. Students are put into the position of having to make decisions not only as reporters but as editors, station managers, publishers, in a word, bosses.

The approach is a novel one at the school – the Case Method. It works like this: students are given an actual, true life case, a narrative about an event in the life of a news gathering organization in which someone has to make a decision, or series of decisions, whose impact will be felt by employees, sources, subjects of stories and, in some instances, the industry. The case is the jumping off point for classroom discussion in search of a solution, an answer, a decision. Each narrative leads, inevitably, to a crossroads, a point at which a decision must be made – but which is not necessarily clear, and for which there is no “right” answer.

Does a cable news station, for instance, air a breaking story on an accusation of scandal, with nothing but a lawsuit to propel the story? What is the first step a newspaper editor should take when he decides that his newsroom must be revamped if it is to survive? Does a documentary film producer exclude footage that will alter the balance – and perhaps the thesis — in her piece?

Students will be expected to write memos each week, arguing for a particular decision. In addition, students will be expected to supplement the case-based arguments with additional reporting on the issues those cases raise.

The class will make use of on-line and multi-media components, in conjunction with CCNMTL.

From Dean Huff, Asst. Dean of Students

Students may request a change of classes during the Add/Drop period each semester. Please note that this is only a REQUEST and we cannot guarantee your request will be accommodated.

On each add/drop request form you may request to add one class AND drop one class.

It is possible for part-time students to only complete the “add” portion or the “drop” portion. M.A. students may complete just the “add” portion to request a skills class.

The add/drop request form will be available here as of 7 a.m. on Monday, August 27. Additional information on the add/drop request process is listed below. Please read it carefully before submitting a request form.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ADD/DROP REQUESTS:

The Add/Drop period Monday, August 27, at 7 a.m. to September 14, at 7 a.m.

Add/drop forms are processed on a first come, first served basis.

If your form is submitted correctly you will receive a request confirmation e-mail within 24 hours. Please remember to include the @columbia.edu after your UNI.

You will NOT receive an e-mail from our office saying that your request was granted or not granted.

To learn if your request was granted, you must keep checking your class schedule on the web using STUDENT SERVICES ONLINE. All requests remain on file during the add/drop period.

You do not need to submit multiple forms for the same Add/Drop request. If I am able to grant requests I do it as soon as possible but sometimes it takes days for a space to open in a class. Sometimes the space never opens up. In most cases, if you want to add a class I have to wait to see whether someone else wants to drop it. Please remember that you are submitting an add/drop REQUEST.

There is no guarantee that I will be able to approve your request. Until you see a change reflected on your class schedule on STUDENT SERVICES ONLINE, your request has not been approved.

I will NOT drop you from a required course unless I can get you into the course you have requested. If you have more than one preference, you may for a given course, in the notes section of the add/drop form, indicate so. Simply complete the add portion of the form with your first preference and in the notes section give me the same info about your second, third, etc., choices. You must include the call and course numbers if you indicate other preferences in the notes section.

Also, please be certain that you are not requesting a class that conflicts with any of your other classes.

And finally, remember that if you are requesting to add a course, you are also probably planning to drop a course. DON’T forget to request to drop the course and please do it on the same form you use to request a class.

The only way I will be able to approve most requests is by knowing which courses will be dropped by students. SAMPLE FORM BELOW (information is fictional)

Sample Form Below

Program/Contact Information (information below is fictional)

Your Name: SUSIE J-SCHOOLER

PID: C000213126

E-mail: sjs2009@columbia.edu

Phone: 917-123-4560

Program: FT Master of Science

Concentration: Newspaper (M.S. students only)

Stabile: No

Please enter the details of the course you would like to add: (information for completing this section is at the Directory of Classes - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)

Class Number: J6001; Section Number: 20; Call Number: 81350

Title: Reporting and Writing I

Please enter the details of the course you would like to drop: (information for completing this section is at the Directory of Classes - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)

Class Number: J6001; Section Number: 16; Call Number: 72241

Title: Reporting and Writing I

http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/AddDrop
-30

Please note, this memo is for PT students taking the Master’s Project during Summer 2007 only.

FROM: Dean Klatell

RE: M.S. Summer Master’s Projects, September 2007

Unless you have received a formal extension from your faculty adviser and the Dean of Students Office, the deadline for submitting your Master’s Project is Friday, September 7, at 10 a.m. All projects should be submitted to the Dean’s Suite, 701, on the 7th floor. You will be required to sign your name on the Master’s Project submission log (at the reception desk outside of Dean Klatell’s office) when you turn in your final project.

For those of you with an early deadline or who wish to submit your final project early, the Dean’s Office will begin accepting final Master’s Project submissions as of 9 a.m., Monday, August 20.

Your submitted project must conform to the following requirements, so follow these instructions carefully:

1. You must write a first-person narrative of how you discovered, researched and reported your story. This will help future students see what goes into the making of a successful master’s project. This “P.S.” should be included with all copies of your Project, and should run no longer than 1,000 words. If confidentiality is a concern, before submitting the library copy, your narrative may be redacted or disguised to conceal specific, identifying information about individuals. For example, you may use “my main character” or “the protagonist” (or similar) instead of someone’s name. Include a copy of this narrative with all copies. If confidentiality is a concern and the above suggestion does not work, then withhold the “P.S.” from the library copy.
Note: the true identity and contact information for all of your sources must be disclosed to your adviser and included on the source list that you submit to your adviser.

2. Print three copies of your manuscript, or a verbatim broadcast script, double-spaced on one side of white paper, leaving a 1½- inch margin on the left-hand side and a 1-inch margin on all other sides. Do not use photographic paper as it does not meet preservation guidelines for library materials. Projects submitted on photo paper will be returned to the author in exchange for a plain-paper copy.

3. You should submit a complete source list for your project. If you are not certain about the best way to cite a source, consult with your adviser. Be aware that source lists and your entire project, including the “P.S.” portion, will be available for reading and copying by all Journalism School library visitors. (Columbia University Libraries does not provide copies of master’s projects or theses via its interlibrary loan service.) As noted above, if you have confidentiality concerns with sources (i.e. names, phone numbers, personal addresses, etc.), you are responsible for removing the source list from the library copy.

4. Pages must be numbered. Do not put any sort of binding on the project, and do not staple the pages.

5. Include a separate title page with the following information: Your name, class year, the title of your project, the name of your master’s adviser, and, at the bottom of the page, add:

Copyright
(Name of Student)
(Year)

6. Put each copy in a new 9 x 11 ½ envelope. Label the front of each envelope with your name, your class year, the title of your project and the name of your adviser for the Master’s Project. Please be certain to clearly label the library copy.

7. Submit in all three copies to the Dean’s Suite (701) on the 7th floor. One copy will be returned to you with your instructor’s comments; another copy will be reserved for the library, and the third copy will be kept by your adviser .

Students submitting a Broadcast Project should include:

• Two copies of your script
• Two copies of your project on DVD, plus a videotape copy if your adviser requests one.
  The Technical Staff can assist you in making the DVDs from the final, edited tape. Be sure to give them plenty of advance notice if you need their assistance. For all Projects on audio tape, CD or DVD: please make two copies, labeling all DVDs, tapes, and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser).

Students submitting a New Media project should include:

• A cover page with your names, topic and URL, and a copyright statement.
• A printout of each of your individual pages (even if some go beyond the margins).
• A printed essay about how you approached your story, with tips for future students. In most cases, your “about us” should suffice (print it out separately if it does work as the “P.S.” described above).
  The library cannot store computer disks, and does not have the facilities for viewing their contents. A hyperlink will be made from the Masters Project Index web page to the project itself.

8. If you are submitting your master’s project earlier than the deadline, you must still submit all copies to the Dean’s Office. You must also inform your adviser of the date you submitted the project.

9. Keep a copy of your project for yourself. Neither the Journalism School nor the Journalism Library is able to provide on-demand copies of your work. You are expected to keep usable copies of your Master’s project for future reference. For print projects and transcripts, a hard copy is the best option.

Please note, the Dean’s Suite is closed from Friday at 5 p.m. till Monday at 9 a.m. If you cannot come to the school during business hours, you may mail your three copies to: Melanie Huff, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 2950 Broadway, Room 703, New York, NY 10027. Please note that they must arrive by Friday, September 7

***

The deadline to submit a course preference ballot for Fall 2007 has passed.

Full-time M.S. students who missed the deadline will be placed in classes on a space available basis. They may attempt to change these classes via the add/drop process that begins on Monday August 27, 10 a.m.

Part-time and M.A. (skills only) who missed the deadline will be placed in classes via the add/drop process only.

Fall Ballots go live at 10 a.m., Monday, July 16.

Please carefully follow the instructions below.

First, M.S. students please read the Fall Curriculum thoroughly (http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2007/07/03/fall-2007-curriculum/).

You may read students’ evaluations of many of the classes and professors at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/. You will have to log in using your UNI and password.

Please select from the two options below the appropriate ballot for you.

To complete the ballot you will need your Columbia e-mail address and PID (If you have lost your PID, please refer to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2005/11/14/faq-how-do-i-find-my-pid/)

The ballots are NOT handled on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you make the deadline (Monday, July 23, 10 a.m.) you have equal standing with all other students.

NOTE: Ranking the same class as your first choice repeatedly DOES NOT increase your likelihood of getting into that class. Rather it means that we will randomly select your class (or adviser) if we are not able to give you your first choice.

Those who miss the ballot deadline will be placed in classes on a space available basis. If you made a mistake or changed your mind, please resubmit your ballot. Your most recently-submitted ballot as of the deadline (Monday, July 23, 10 a.m.) will be the one processed.

If you experience any problems using the ballot, please send e-mail to dos@jrn.columbia.edu Please note we cannot promise students they will gain a seat in any specific class.

The ballot for FT M.S. students is at http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/FT_MS_Ballots

The ballot for PT M.S. students and M.A. students is at http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/MA-PTBallot/

Please answer all questions carefully.

Transcript of PT Chat, focusing on issues of interest to PT Students
July 17, 2007
Speakers: Deans Huff & Sreenivasan
{43 questions in 60 minutes}

[ See other chats and transcripts ]

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.
(more…)

Two days after the 2007 Graduation, we begin the cycle all over again, with 32 new students doing RWI in the Part-time Program.

Part-Time May 2007 Orientation
Friday, May 18, 2007

8:30 am: Pick up IDs and Orientation Folders World Room (3rd floor)
Coffee and pastries

9:00 am: Welcome - World Room
* David Klatell, Vice Dean
* Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Students
* Bruce Porter, director-designate, Part-Time Program
* Ernest Sotomayor, Director of Career Services

10:30 am: Break

11:00 am: Computer Activation - Cabral/601A; Reisig/607C

11:30 am: Rebecca Castillo, J’06, SPJ Class President, and student panel:
“Being a Part-Time Student” - World Room
A group of Part-Time students discusses life at the J-school

12:30 pm: Box lunch - World Room

1:15-1:45 pm: Trip to Kent Hall for ID collection

1:45 pm—3:45 pm First session with professors: Reisig/602; Cabral/601C

4-5 pm: Reception - Lobby

Reminder: Saturday morning bus/reporting trip to the Bronx - meet at northeast corner of 116th St & Amsterdam Ave. at 8:30 a.m. for 8:45 a.m. departure.

Week of May 21:

Monday, May 21, 2007
7-10 pm - First class: Cabral/501A; Reisig/602

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
7-10 pm - *Cabral Research: 601A

Wednesday, May 23, 2007
7-9 pm - Second class: Cabral/501A; Reisig/602

Thursday, May 24, 2007
7-9 pm - *Reisig Research: 601A

* This two-hour session includes an introduction to Columbia University’s library system, with an emphasis on the many electronic sources of information you can access from anywhere with your UNI. The rest of the session is devoted to learning how to search two major news databases, LexisNexis and Factiva, in a strategic way. Even if you are already familiar with these resources, you will learn new tricks that will help you search smarter. Time permitting, there will also be an introduction to Infoshare Online, a database that enables you to retrieve data about NYC at the neighborhood level.

Bill Wareham, managing editor of Minnesota Public Radio (one of the most influential news organizations in America) recently visited the school and had some nice things to say about our radio curriculum and Professors John Dinges and Rick Karr:

Both fellows have distinguished bios - John is a former managing editor at NPR (the full bio is here) and Rick has done stints with NPR, PBS and more (full bio). But these guys may be doing their most important work ever at Columbia, where they’re educating the next generation of radio journalists.

The heart of the radio workshop is the weekly webcast, which comes together every Friday during spring semester at 4 o’clock ET. This mix of daily news and features is a pretty good replication of what goes on daily at public radio stations across the country.

What impresses me every year is how good these students are, even if they’re still a little rough around the edges. We’ve had several graduates of the program come through MPR (the latest, Jess Mador, started a couple of months ago), and all have been strong journalists.

You will be hearing many of these voices on public radio in coming years, but if you want to hear them now, the workshop archives its programs here.

Read the full item, with links:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/newsroom/archive/2007/04/hearing_the_fut.shtml.

Prof. Dinges, who is a terrific evangelist for radio, encourages all students to think about doing radio, even if they are not broadcast majors (we have courses of various lengths). He say, “Some students now seek out Columbia for radio, more each year as word gets out. But still the majority of our students discover the possibility of radio while here–including about half who started out with the intention of being print journalists.”

He’s right. Over the years, I have seen dozens of students had what I call their “radio epiphany” while taking a radio course here and go into careers where radio is their major outlet - or one of their major outlets. Increasingly, even newspaper reporters are asked to collect audio clips, make podcasts, etc. And when it comes to new media, radio and audio skills are especially invaluable.

If you are incoming student (or a continuing PT student): please do consider taking radio classes when you are here. More on radio at Columbia here: http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/studentwork/radio/

Dear Continuing Students,

Summer Balloting begins this Monday, April 16, at 7 a.m.

To submit your ballot, please go to: http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/SummerBallot/

Please carefully read all the instructions below before completing your ballot.

The deadline for receipt of your ballot is Monday, April 23, 7 a.m.

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu
*****************************

Please carefully follow the instructions below.

1. You may read students’ evaluations of many of the classes and professors at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/. You will have to log in using your UNI and password.

2. To complete the ballot you will need your Columbia e-mail address and PID (If you have lost your PID, please refer to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2005/11/14/faq-how-do-i-find-my-pid/)

3. The ballots are NOT handled on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you make the deadline (Monday, April 23, 7 a.m.) you have equal standing with all other students.

4. If you made a mistake or change your mind, please resubmit your ballot. Your most recently-submitted ballot as of the deadline (Monday, April 23, 7 a.m.) will be the one processed.

5. If you experience any problems using the ballot, please send e-mail to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

6. Please note we cannot promise students they will gain a seat in any specific class.

Please answer all questions carefully.

Below please find the deadline/event schedule for the summer:

• Friday, April 6: Summer Curriculum DOS Blog/E-mail
• Monday, April 9: Summer Curriculum follow-up session at 6 p.m., room 601B
• Thursday, April 12: Bcast MP overview and instructions at 6 p.m., room 601B
• Monday, April 16: Summer ballots go live
• Monday, April 23: Summer ballots close
• Monday, May 7: Print folks meet with advisers 1st time during this week; add/drop begins
• Monday, May 14: Broadcast pitches by teams due
• Monday, May 21: Broadcast projects approved/assigned - 1st meetings with advisers this week
• Monday, May 28: Print project approval date; add drop ends
• Monday, June 25: First draft (all media)
• Monday, July 30: Second draft
• Friday, September 7: Final project due

PLEASE NOTE: This summer, we are not offering new media Master’s Projects because we are introducing a revamped new media curriculum, including an improved Master’s Project course (you can take it over Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 or just during Summer 2008).

Dear Continuing Students,

Those of you who are not graduating in May are asked to complete a summer/fall interest survey to give us a sense of what you are interested in taking this summer and fall.

While we cannot promise to offer everything you request, nor hold you to the choices you make here, we will take your feedback into consideration when doing our planning.

Please refer to the M.S. graduation requirements checklist to chart your progression through the program and to think about what you want to do this summer.

Please complete the survey even if you plan to do only the master’s project this summer.

DEADLINE: Thursday, March 22, 2007

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu.

The ballots for Spring 2007 go live at noon on Friday, November 24, at
http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/Spring07Ballots/

Please carefully read and follow the instructions.

• First, please read the Fall Curriculum thoroughly (http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/students/courses/spring2007/index.asp. Some information has been added and some changed since the document became available.
• You may read students’ evaluations of many of the classes and professors at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/. You will have to log in using your UNI and password.
• Please select the ballot option that best describes your status.
• To complete the ballot you will need your Columbia e-mail address and PID (If you have lost your PID, please refer to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2005/11/14/faq-how-do-i-find-my-pid/)
• The ballots are NOT handled on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you make the deadline (Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ) you have equal standing with all other students.
• If your ballot is received after the deadline, you will be placed in classes on a space-available basis.
  If you made a mistake or changed your mind, please resubmit your ballot. Your most recently-submitted ballot as of the deadline (Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m.) will be the one processed.

If you experience any problems using the ballot, please send e-mail to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

Please note we cannot promise students they will gain a seat in any specific class.

Please answer all questions carefully.

The main Spring Prep memo, with all the important dates:
http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2006/10/25/memo-spring-prep/

The Spring Curriculum Guide from Dean Klatell:
http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/students/courses/spring2007/index.asp

Application procedure for the six classes that require applications:
http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2006/11/12/spring-prep-the-six-application-classes/

FROM: Michael Hoyt, Executive Editor, Columbia Journalism Review

Dear students,

In 2004 Farnaz Fassihi of The Wall Street Journal sent an e-mail to friends and relatives about what it was like to be a journalist in Iraq. Somebody in the chain posted the letter on the Internet and it quickly went around the world. Among journalists the reaction was varied: some worried that an objective reporter had revealed too much; others thought the e-mail was dead on.

Meanwhile, something about the personal nature of the note communicated the reality of what Iraqis call “the situation” more forcefully than yards of standard prose. Here at CJR we wanted more, and for our forty-fifth anniversary issue we interviewed some fifty journalists who have covered the war. Out of their anecdotes and insights we have constructed an oral history of the war, the first of its kind, and we invite you read the issue when it comes out next week.

We also invite you to attend a panel discussion with five journalists who have covered Iraq on Thursday, November 2, from 7 to 9 in the lecture hall. These people have studied “the situation” closely, some of them for four years or more. They are:

Deborah Amos: Foreign correspondent for NPR and ABC News. Author of Lines in the Sand: Desert Storm and the Remaking of the Arab World.

Rajiv Chandrasekaran: Washington Post assistant managing editor, former Baghdad bureau chef, and author of Imperial Life in the Emerald City.

Ali Fadhil: A physician and translator. He has collaborated with journalists from The Financial Times, Time, The Guardian, People, The Observer, The New Yorker and NPR.

Patrick Graham: Canadian freelance journalist who spent a year with the Iraqi resistance in Fallujah. His work has appeared in The London Observer, Harpers and other publications

Chris Hondros: A prizewinning photojournalist whose work has appeared on the covers of magazines such as Newsweek and The Economist, and on the front pages of most major American newspapers.

We hope you can join us.

Mike

Dear students and faculty:

Every year, the University awards Maria Moors Cabot Prizes to the best and brightest Latin American journalists and North American journalists covering Latin America. President Bollinger will be conferring these prizes, the oldest international prizes in journalism, in a formal ceremony at Low Library next Wednesday.

But next Tuesday night (the 10th), this year’s four Cabot medalists will appear at the J. school in a special panel designed for you to ask them questions. Attached are thumbnail sketches of the four winners–Mario Vargas Llosa, Ginger Thompson, Matt Moffet, and José Hamilton Ribeiro.

Especially for those of you considering international reporting, this is a great opportunity to meet two distinguished Latin American journalists and two Americans who have made careers covering Latin America. Politics, government, culture and business are hopping in Latin America and, in my view, the region offers opportunities for young journalists.

The theme of this year’s panel, which I will moderate, is self-censorship– a terrible problem both in Latin America and, increasingly, in the United States. An article on self-censorship is attached.

THIS IS THE ONLY PUBLIC APPEARANCE BY THE CABOT WINNERS.

This event takes place on Tuesday, October 10 on the 3rd Floor of the Journalism School at 7 PM. No RSVP is necessary; make sure to be in the Lecture Hall PROMPTLY at 7 PM.

I hope to see you Tuesday night,

Josh Friedman, Director of Cabot Prize Program

Columbia’s Student Financial Services (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/) has changed the date by which you will receive your first bill via e-mail.

You will receive your bill via e-mail on August 14.

Payment will be due on September 14.

All of you who submitted a summer ballot are registered now for your classes (except for those with holds on your accounts).

You may check out your registration at SSOL.

Those of you doing Master’s Projects should contact your adviser ASAP. Advisers have received the names of their students.

If you have a hold, please notify Melanie Huff when it is lifted so that I can register you.

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu.

The complete list of classes is below.

Please note that each class has a unique start date; all classes end the week of August 28.

Journalism, the Law & Society - 2 points
Day/Time: M 7:30pm-9:30pm
Location: William and June Warren Hall L104
Instructor: John Zucker
*begins on June 5

Narrative Writing - elective/3 points
Day/Time: W 6:30pm-8:30pm
Location: 709C Journalism Building
Instructor: David Blum
*begins on May 24

Radio Documentary - elective/3 points
Day/Time: W 7:00pm-10:00pm
Location: 511A/B Journalism Building
Instructor: Alex Blumberg
*begins on June 7

Opinion Writing - elective/3 points
Day/Time: T 6:30-8:30pm
Location: 709C Journalism Building
Instructor: David Hajdu
*begins on June 6

Magazine Writing - workshop/6 points
Day/Time: Th 6:30-8:30 pm
Location: 709C Journalism Building
Instructor: Hugh Eakin
*begins on June 1

Master’s Project - 6 points
The following professors are advising summer projects.
*see relevant dates listed below; broadcast dates will change

Carla Baranauckas
John Bennett
Gwenda Blair
Kevin Buckley
Rich Cohen
Kevin Coyne
Joe Cutbirth
Neil Hickey
Robin Schatz
Nancy Sharkey
Peter Spielmann
Lisa Cohen
Phil Scheffler
Duy Lin Tu

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

To track your progress through the part-time program, please refer to the check list at http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/admissions/programs/part-time/courses/

Below are the important dates for Summer 2006:

GENERAL DATES

• Summer Ballots go live: Friday, April 21
• Summer Balloting closes: Friday, April 28
• Summer Add/Drop begins: Monday, May 8, 9 a.m.
• Summer classes begin: please see dates listed with each class in the descriptions above
• Summer Add/Drop ends: Monday, May 29, 9 a.m.
• Summer classes end: Week of August 28

MASTER’S PROJECT DATES

• Master’s Project briefing with Prof. Porter and Dean Klatell: March 28, 6-7 p.m., 601B
• Broadcast idea pitches due: Monday, April 17
• Broadcast projects selected: Monday, April 24
• Broadcast teams finalized and assigned: Monday, May 1
• First Master’s Project Meeting: Week of May 8
• Prof Porter’s Reporting for the Master’s Project Lecture: Monday, May 22, 6:45-8 p.m., room 601B
• Print Project Approval: Monday, May 29
• First Master’s Project Draft: Monday, June 26
• Second Master’s Project Draft: Monday, July 31
• Final Master’s Project Due: Friday, September 8

From Melanie Huff, Assistant Dean of Students

Dear PT May 2006 Students:

On Saturday, May 20, we are doing a student bus tour of Brooklyn with your professors. All students are to meet at 116th & Amsterdam Avenue no later than 8:45 am. The bus will leave promptly at 9 am. You can expect to return to campus between 5:30 and 6 pm. We apologize for not making it clear that you would be expected to attend this. If you cannot make it, let us know at dos@jrn.columbia.edu - but please note that that weekend is critical to your determining the beat you will be covering for RWI, so you should make every effort to go on the bus trip.

Deborah Wassertzug, the Journalism School Librarian, will be offering two sessions on conducting research using Nexis/Lexis, Factiva and other sources. Prof. Cabral’s class will have its session on Monday, May 22, 7-9 pm, Room 601A, and Prof. Reisig’s class will have its session on Wednesday, May 24, 7-9 pm, Room 601A.

In addition to your RWI class, you are eligible to take the classes listed below this summer.

Please note that the per point rate is $1,236. The points for each class are listed with the classes.

If you take 12 or more points, you will be charged a full-time, flat-fee rate. Please refer to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/ for details.

To see what classes you need to take to graduate, please refer to the PT Course Check List. If you have questions about requirements, please send them to dos@jrn.columbia.edu.

Slots in these classes will be given out on a first come, first served basis. To request a class, send an email to mgh2@columbia.edu with your name, PID, and the name of the class.

Please note that each class has a unique start date; all classes (except RWI, ending a week earlier) end the week of August 28.

Journalism, the Law & Society - 2 points
Day/Time: M 7:30pm-9:30pm
Location: William and June Warren Hall L104
Inst