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

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.
(more…)

SPRING SEMESTER PREP (updated several times a week)
Here’s the schedule for Spring Semester Prep - events and dates to help you prepare for the Spring Semester. All the information will be available electronically, but you are encouraged to attend any events/briefing sessions you can. Please note we are offering events on a variety of dates and times. All this is subject to change, so please check back often. Most of this is aimed at M.S. students, but others are welcome to attend. M.A. students (who typically have more of a fixed set of courses) will receive their own, specialized briefings.

Deans Sreenivasan and Huff will be available throughout November to discuss your options and help you plan for the Spring, as are your RWI professors, who serve as your advisers the rest of your time here.

Dean Klatell’s in-depth Spring Curriculum Guide, with course details and timings will be available soon.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be other class- or format specific briefing sessions (including a joint one for broadcast and new media options)… They will be added here soon.

If you want to check out evaluations of past spring classes, go to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/

To get a feeling for what we may be offering, you may refer to last year’s curriculum at
http://snurl.com/last_spring

[The photo below is from last year’s first briefing, on Oct. 30, 2006 - about 40 students stopped by.]

• Tues, Oct. 30, 12:30-2 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester and final evaluations. *Bring your lunch; cookies, chips, soda and water will be served.

Mon, Nov 5, 12:30-2 p.m., room 607B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester and final evaluations. *Bring your lunch; cookies, chips, soda and water will be served.

Tues, Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m., room 601B: Broadcast Workshops Preview: Profs Dinges, Wheatley, West and Alpert will discuss their courses

Tues, Nov. 6, 6:15 p.m., room 607B: Spring Briefing Tea *Light refreshments served.

Thurs, Nov. 8, 6-7 p.m., World Room: Covering Religion Seminar Briefing .
See last year’s class site: http://www.CoveringReligion.org
Additional information and application instructions

Fri, Nov. 9, 8:15 a.m., room 607B:Book Writing Seminar Preview & Application Instruction session with Prof. Sam Freedman. Application instructions

Monday, Nov. 12, 5 p.m.: Applications due for Covering Religion; Book Writing; Personal & Professional Style;

Thurs, Nov. 15, 8:15-9:15 a.m., room 607B: Spring Prep Breakfast with the Deans - *Light breakfast served.

Thurs, Nov. 15, 12-1 p.m., room 607B: DecisionMaking in Journalism preview

Monday, Nov. 19: Students notified of application results for Book Writing; Covering Religion; Personal & Professional Style

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Lecture Hall: Spring Preview Session - an evening when professors who teach Spring seminars and workshops are invited to present three minute previews of their classes. Typically, most professors present and all M.S. students gather for this session. Please note that only a handful of classes have individual briefing sessions (as listed above), so it is critical that you attend this large gathering.

Wed, Nov. 21, 7 a.m.: Spring Ballots go live; close Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7 a.m. at 7 a.m. You can submit ballots any time during that period - NOT first come, first served.

Wed, Nov. 21, 10 a.m., room 601B: Pre-Thanksgiving snacks with Deans Sreenivasan & Huff. Come share pie, drink coffee and ask last minute questions

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7 a.m.: Spring Ballots close.

[ And don’t forget Lucille’s Ball, the annual J-School Holiday Party & Faculty Roast on
Thursday, Dec. 13. You absolutely have to be there! Details coming from
Aliza Kassim, aik2111@columbia.edu, SPJ events director. ]

Late December: Students will be registered for their Spring courses.

December 21-Jan. 22: Winter Break; work on Master’s Projects for M.S. students (first draft due Tuesday, Jan. 22)

January 8-February 1: Add/Drop period

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9:30-noon: ALL-CLASS EVENT: “Surviving & Thriving in the Spring Semester: Making the Best Use of Your Remaining Months at Columbia” - Mandatory for FULL-TIME M.S. students; others welcome. Presented by DOS Office and Career Services.*Light refreshments served.

Tuesday, January 22: M.A., and other University classes begin

Thursday & Friday, Jan. 24 & 25: M.S. Workshops begin

Monday & Tuesday, Jan. 28 & 29: M.S. Seminars begin

Wednesday, Jan. 30: M.S. Electives begin

Also see:

FAQ: How do I switch concentrations?
FAQ: How do I take an outside elective?

TIP: In the Spring semester at J-School, I wish I had… (alumni tips)

Deans Sreenivasan and Huff are available throughout November to discuss your options and help you plan for the Spring, as are your RWI professors, who serve as your advisers the rest of your time here.

(more…)

Here are the three Spring 2008 M.S. classes for which there is an application process. With each is information on how to apply. You need NOT have attended the sessions to apply.You will know the results of the application process before the balloting begins.

ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 5 P.M.

1. Book Writing - PROCEDURE (from FAQ section of Prof. Freedman’s site):

   You email me a brief memo about it– anywhere from 100 to 300 words. Do not ask for a conference; it is your job to frame the idea. Send me the email at sgf1[at]columbia.edu. And if I respond by asking for changes or clarifications — and the odds are that I will — make sure that you send your reply to me promptly. Remember, you cannot be admitted into the course without my permission.

2. Covering Religion - PROCEDURE:
   Read about the course and apply online

3. Personal & Professional Style - PROCEDURE:
   Please see details here: Personal & Professional Style Information & Application Instructions

Please see information sheet and application link below.

INFORMATION SHEET AND APPLICATION FOR
COVERING RELIGION
SPRING 2008
PROFESSOR ARI L. GOLDMAN
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR NIALL O’DOWD
TEACHING ASSISTANT: MARY CATHERINE BROUDER

GRADUATE SCHOOL SCHOL OF JOURNALISM
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

“Covering Religion” aims at preparing students to work as religion writers on secular newspapers and magazines or for broadcast and new media outlets. In the Spring 2008 semester the class will focus on the diversity of religious faiths found in Ireland. Thanks to a generous grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation, the course will include a 10-day study-tour of Ireland during spring break at no cost to students.

The first seven weeks of the course will be spent reporting on religion in the New York area. Each student is assigned a faith or a sect of a faith in which to specialize. These will include the traditional Irish Catholic, Protestant and Jewish communities as well as faiths that have taken root in Ireland in more recent years, such as Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. In addition to writing assignments, each student will make an oral presentation in class about his or her assigned faith.

In past years, the class visited Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Jordan and India. In each of these places, the group met with religious leaders and visited synagogues, mosques, churches, temples and shrines.

During the Ireland trip, the class will maintain a Website that includes daily updates from our travels. Each day one student is responsible for reporting on that day’s activities and posting the story on the Web. In addition, two students serve as Webmasters and another coordinates photographs. Family and friends can keep abreast of the activities of the class via the Website. Upon return from the study-tour students put additional stories and new media projects on the Web. (The Websites from previous years can be found at www.coveringreligion.org.)

Here are a few additional points —

• Class size: the class is limited to 16 students.

• Dates for the trip: The trip roughly takes place over spring break, making use of the weekends before and after for travel time. Departure is on March 13th and return on March 24th.
• Requirements: Full-time students accepted to the class must submit the final draft of their Master’s Project to the Office of the Dean no later than March 12th, which is nearly two weeks before the regular deadline. In addition, all students must be up-to-date on deadlines for all other classes. No student on academic probation or academic warning will be allowed to go on the trip.
• Full-time and part-time students are eligible, whether concentrating in print, new media or broadcast. Students who are doing broadcast master’s projects, however, are discouraged from applying because of the teamwork required to complete such a project.
• Composition of the class: We are looking for a group of students that will reflect the diversity of the school in terms of gender, language skills, international travel experience, region of the United States and country of origin.
• Health insurance: Students are responsible to be sure that they are covered while traveling abroad.
• Cost to students: The foundation pays for airfare, hotels, transfers and at least one meal a day. Students should bring enough money for two meals a day plus money for any personal items or souvenirs they wish to purchase. Students are responsible for getting their own passports in order and for paying for any visa fees.
• Students will have to arrange their own travel to and from the airport in New York.

Application process: Please fill out the on-line application. Attach a 500-word essay on why you would like to be considered for the class. Please let us know if you’ve done any religion writing in RW1 or in other settings. Applications are due on Monday, Nov. 12. Students admitted to the class will be notified by Nov. 19 and will have 48 hours to accept or decline a place in the class.

Personal and Professional Style with Judith Crist

The nature and demands of this course make it necessary to limit the class size.

It is offered to students who have mastered the basic mechanics and techniques of journalistic prose and are interested in developing and refining a personal literary style within a journalistic framework, appropriate to editorials, columns and reviews.

There are basic assignments and free-choice exercises, with concentration on intra-group and self criticism, and good reporting. This class is not for the thin of skin!

Students must submit one sample of their best writing and, in no more than 350 words, a statement of their interest in the course. These are to be emailed in the body of the message to Dean Huff, at mgh2@columbia.edu, who must receive them by 5 p.m., Monday, November 12, 2007.

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/

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 5:30-6:45 p.m., Lecture Hall

Professors who teach Spring seminars and workshops (and a handful of electives) are invited to present three- or five-minute previews of their classes. Typically, most professors present and all M.S. students gather for this session.

Here is the lineup:

• Ann Cooper (Elective)
• Josh Friedman (Seminar)
• Sandy Padwe (Elective)
• Hannah Fairfield Wallender (Elective)
• Diane Solway (Seminar)
• Mirta Ojito (Seminar)
• Wayne Barrett (Seminar)
• LynNell Hancock (Seminar)
• Bill Berkeley (Seminar)
• Rob Norton (Seminar)
• Tom Edsall (Seminar)
• Bruce Porter (Workshop)
• Laura Muha (Seminar)
• Rhoda Lipton (Workshop)
• Pam Frederick (Workshop)/Sig Gissler re: Bronx Beat
• June Cross (Workshop)
• Mel McCray & George Rivera (Workshop)
• Rick Karr (for Dinges) (Workshop)
• Duy Lin Tuh (Workshop)
• Sreenath Sreenivasan (re: New Media elective)

SPRING SEMESTER PREP (updated several times a week)
Here’s the schedule for Spring Semester Prep - events and dates to help you prepare for the Spring Semester. All the information will be available electronically, but you are encouraged to attend any events/briefing sessions you can. Please note we are offering events on a variety of dates and times. All this is subject to change, so please check back often. Most of this is aimed at M.S. students, but others are welcome to attend. M.A. students (who typically have more of a fixed set of courses) will receive their own, specialized briefings.

Dean Klatell’s in-depth Spring Curriculum Guide, with course details and timings is at http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/students/courses/spring2007/index.asp. If you want to check out evaluations of past spring classes, go to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/ (please note that the new evaluation system has the evaluations of last spring’s classes.

[The photo below is from our first briefing, on Oct. 30 - about 40 students stopped by.]

• Mon, Oct. 30, 12:30-1:30 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester and final evaluations. *Bring your lunch; cookies, chips, soda and water will be served.
• [NON SPRING PREP EVENT: Thurs, Nov. 2, 8:15-9:15 a.m., room 601B: M.S. students learn about the M.A. program]
• Thurs, Nov. 2, 12:30-2 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester and final evaluations. *Bring your sandwich; cookies, chips, soda and water will be served.
• Monday, Nov. 6: Spring Curriculum letter live at
  http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/students/courses/spring2007/index.asp
• Monday, Nov. 6, 6-7 p.m., Lecture Hall: Covering Religion Seminar Briefing . See last year’s class site: http://www.CoveringReligion.org.
  See application info and more details.
• Tues, Nov. 7, 6 p.m., room 601B: Spring Briefing session (aimed at Part-time students, but all are welcome). *Light refreshments served.
• [NON SPRING PREP EVENT - Wed, Nov. 8, 4-5 p.m., 601B: M.A. Tea with the Deans (M.A. students only)]
• Fri, Nov. 10, 8:15 a.m., room 607B:Book Writing Seminar Preview & Application Instruction session with Prof. Sam Freedman. See application instructions.
• Friday, Nov. 10: 11:30-12:15 p.m., room 607B: Producing a Magazine Preview and Application Instruction session with Professors Navasky and Shapiro. See application instructions.
• Fri, Nov. 10, 3 p.m., room 601B: Literary Journalism Preview & Application Instruction session with Prof. Helen Benedict
  See application instructions.
• Monday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m.: Applications due for Covering Religion; Literary Journalism; Personal & Professional Style;
• Tues, Nov. 14, 8:15-9:15, room 601B: Bronx Beat Preview (8:15-8:45) and Covering Education Preview (8:45-9:15). *Light breakfast served.
• Wednesday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m.: Applications due Producing a Magazine A and Producing a Magazine B
• Thurs, Nov. 16, 8:15-9:15 a.m., room 607B: Breakfast with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions. *Light breakfast served.
• Thurs, Nov. 16, 6-7 p.m., room 601B: Spring Briefing session (aimed at Part-time students, but all are welcome). *Light refreshments served.
• Friday, Nov. 17: Students notified of MOST application results for Book Writing; Covering Religion; Literary Journalism; Personal & Professional Style; Producing a Magazine A & B
• Tuesday, Nov. 21, 4:30-5:30 p.m., 502: Spring overview of television news magazine with Mel McCray and George Rivera
• Tuesday, Nov. 21, 5:30-6:45 p.m., Lecture Hall: Spring Preview Session - an evening when professors who teach Spring seminars and workshops are invited to present three- or five-minute previews of their classes. Typically, most professors present and all M.S. students gather for this session. Please note that only a handful of classes have individual briefing sessions (as listed above), so it is critical that you attend this large gathering.
• TBA: Spring Ballots go live; close Wednesday, Nov. 29, 10 p.m. at 10 p.m. You can submit ballots any time during that period - NOT first come, first served.
• Wednesday, Nov. 29, 10 p.m.: Spring Ballots close.
• [NON SPRING PREP EVENT - Mon, Dec. 4, 12:30-1:30 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch M.A. info session (M.S. students learn about the M.A. program0]
• [ And don’t forget Lucille’s Ball, the annual J-School Holiday Party & Faculty Roast on
  Thursday, Dec. 14. You absolutely have to be there! Details coming from
  Aaron Cahall , SPJ events director. ]

• Late December: Students will be registered for their Spring courses.
• December 22-Jan. 15: Winter Break; work on Master’s Projects for M.S. students (first draft due Tuesday, Jan. 16)
• January 5-January 26: Add/Drop period
• Wednesday, Jan. 17, 9:30-noon: ALL-CLASS EVENT: “Surviving & Thriving in the Spring Semester: Making the Best Use of Your Remaining Months at Columbia” - Mandatory for FULL-TIME M.S. students; others welcome. Presented by DOS Office and Career Services.*Light refreshments served.
• Tuesday, January 16: M.A., and other University classes begin
• Thursday & Friday, Jan. 18 & 19: M.S. Workshops begin
• Monday & Tuesday, Jan. 22 & 23: M.S. Seminars begin
• Wednesday, Jan. 24: M.S. Electives begin

Here are the six classes for which there is an application process:

Book Writing
Covering Religion
Personal & Professional Style
Literary Journalism
Producing a Magazine (sections A & B)

See application instructions.
You will know the results of the application process before the balloting begins.

Also see:

FAQ: How do I switch concentrations?
FAQ: How do I take an outside elective?

TIP: In the Spring semester at J-School, I wish I had… (alumni tips)

Deans Sreenivasan and Huff are available throughout November to discuss your options and help you plan for the Spring, as are your RWI professors, who serve as your advisers the rest of your time here.

The Daily Plan-it asked recent alumni to share tips about surviving and thriving in the Spring semester. Responses (some of them contradicting each other, some of them repetitive) are continuing to trickle in and will be added here throughout the semester, lightly edited for clarity. More than 75 below, with the latest ones being added to the top. You can bookmark this posting separately by clicking on http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2006/01/17/tips and adding it to your favorites/bookmarks.
MAY 2006 UPDATE: We are now collecting Fall semester survival tips, too. Send your tips for either semester to ss221@columbia.edu

In the Spring semester at J-School, I wish I had…

1. (this is for international students..while it may apply to local students too) not allowed myself to feel like a loser because I didn’t have an internship, while everyone else around me did. Remember, you are an international student and already have
   restrictions — so whatever you have achieved, even if it seems less than the others, is actually more. Look beyond the J-school listings for internships and most importantly BREATHE!
2. taken an internship. Yes, even in the Fall semester (no matter how busy you get with school, internships in New York are the best way to improve your resume and get a job).
3. attended more on-campus talks and guest lectures.
4. applied for more internships and jobs.
5. attended more lectures and networking events.
6. gotten to know my professors better.
7. helped our J-School intramural basketball team win a game. Somewhere, Pulitzer was rolling over in his grave watching us lose to those law students every week.
8. more free time
9. taken every opportunity to learn how to use all the software available on the school’s computers (even if, at the time, it seemed irrelevant).
10. gotten to know more professors. It slowly dawns on you how many incredible people are at this school and how little time you have.
11. …taken a class on where good ideas come from. Quite a few people can report. Nowhere near as many know what makes a good story idea.
12. …considered working in a smaller market than New York City. There are definite downsides to joining a big news organization.
13. …not worried about the huge amount of money I owed Columbia. The 10 years it took to pay it off went by much quicker than I expected.
14. …mingled more. Journalism is not only about whom you know, but whom you get to know during your career.
15. …taken a deep breath. While the Master’s Project is important, I can count on one hand the number of times it has come up outside of J-school since graduating.
16. …gone to more informational interviews.
17. …crammed in as much writing and reporting as possible in order to get more feedback from professors/editors. You’ll never get that much feedback and training in one place from editors in the commercial world. There’s just not enough time.
18. …made an effort to meet five new classmates a week.
19. …pitched more stories (to editors outside J-school), not necessarily to get something published (although that’s always nice) but to practice getting in touch and making contacts; later you realize it isn’t as hard as it seems once you’re done it several times, so don’t be afraid of rejection.
20. …taken a big deep breath and appreciated every single second!
21. …gotten enough sleep (no matter what party you have to leave early, it’s worth it).
22. …started on my Master’s Project a week earlier and better communicated my concerns and challenges with my adviser and set a goal of finishing a week before deadline.
23. …networked more with guest speakers at the school.
24. …had more chocolate milkshakes at Tom’s Restaurant - they are the best.
25. … bought my own domain name.
    [DAILY PLAN-IT TIP: Info on buying a personal site from Dean Sreenivasan.]
26. …played more intramural softball– long live the “J-school Swingers.”
27. …extended my Columbia health insurance beyond graduation
28. …taken the time to socialize with my friends a little more.
29. …hung out on the front steps more.
30. …worked to get at least one piece of writing published — probably my Master’s project, but anything would have done. This would have boosted my confidence (I didn’t realize how good the work was compared to so much that is out there) AND helped with the job search.
31. …invested more in the stories that meant something to me and simply let the others go.
32. …gone to my grandfather’s funeral against the recommendations of J-school
    brass (I would have needed a week to go to California) — one of the only serious regrets of my entire life. Family always comes first — don’t let faculty or bosses convince you differently.
33. …not been afraid to network.
34. …taken a break at Coney Island.
35. …taken the Book Writing course with Sam Freedman.
36. … done an internship.
37. …written my Master’s Project with actual publication in mind (and in
    reality).
38. …pitched more stories for publication.
39. …taken a radio course.
40. …kept better track of my schedule. Make a schedule for every week, for every task and every assignment and stick to it. Especially important if you’re working with others on a project to be sure everyone commits time - the same time - to get together.
41. …gotten out and seen New York - not only as a journalist but also as a
    curious foreigner.
42. …sought out mentors and take advantage of their advice.
43. …gotten out of the Journalism building and explore what other
    departments have to offer.
44. …started putting my resume out earlier and attended more job conferences.
45. …stuck to a tighter budget during the second semester and saved a bit more money for when I was interning over the summer.
46. …eaten more cruciferous vegetables and gotten more sleep.
47. …tried to enjoy the process of writing my Master’s Project a bit more, because I won’t be working on a long-form feature story again anytime soon.
48. …kept a blog or journal of my J-school experience (I did try to keep a J-school blog but it turned into my personal treasury of rants).
49. …taken courses that focused on writing and style, rather than two reporting-heavy classes.
50. …had done the vast bulk of reporting on my Master’s early, because it made for a tough semester for colleagues, especially those on the Bronx Beat.
51. …asked my professors for pitch letter pointers and tried to get more things published. It would have been worth it for the practice even if everything I submitted got rejected.
52. …I had done an extra draft of my Master’s Project, so it could have been revised and improved more.
53. …lined up an internship to gain New York work experience and make contacts.
54. …written thank you notes and sent stories back to people on my beat, not just to be polite but because their feedback would have been invaluable.
55. …typed more on a regular-sized keyboard instead of my 12-inch laptop because I ended up with RSI in both wrists.
56. …worn a cuter dress to the J-school graduation instead of a stupid blazer and denim skirt.
57. …paced myself better through each assignment, each class.
58. …taken advantage of all of the special events/speakers the school offers.
59. …enjoyed myself more. This could be your last university semester for a while.
60. …had taken more advantage of being in New York City. Now that I don’t live there anymore, there are so many neighborhoods and museums I wish I’d visited, restaurants I wish I’d eaten at and shows I wish I’d seen.
61. …taken my internship more seriously.
62. …worried about the job search less. I know that sounds completely counterintuitive, but I think I wasted a lot of time agonizing over worst case scenarios. I was also so worried that I would have jumped at any job that was offered me. For example, I interviewed with Vogue Knitting magazine after I saw an ad on MediaBistro.com. I love knitting, but I don’t think that would have been a good start to my journalism career. As it turns out I didn’t get the job (they needed someone to start right away), but I did get a job at WSJ.com three months later. In fact, most of the people I knew from j-school were hooked up with pretty good jobs by the end of summer. It is hard to find a media job, but not so hard that it warrants breaking out in a cold sweat or taking a job you’ll
    want out of one month later.
63. …dabbled in a few more courses completely outside my area of
    concentration, and gotten to know more of my classmates better.
64. …gone to the gym (Columbia’s gym is open until
    midnight for a reason).
65. …switched from coffee to herbal tea (ultimately a
    life-changer)
66. …updated my resume and supporting materials long before the job fair
67. …gotten more sleep (but that’s just not realistic)
68. …done more freelancing and gone on more informational interviews — you’ll need those clips and contacts in a few months.
69. …gone to the gym more.
70. …freelanced more.
71. …befriended even more part-timers, arts fellows and Knight-Bagehot folk.
72. …taken advantage of living in Manhattan for the last time in my life.
73. …learned HTML.
74. …better befriended my professors and adjuncts.
75. …done an internship.
76. …believed all those who kept on telling me (Sree included) that the
    Spring semester passes by in a flash (Carpe Diem!)
77. …tried harder at establishing relationships with guest speakers
    and/or professors
78. …cultivated more relationships and done many more informational interviews with journalists in ALL mediums. Journalism is on a convergence path - you never know where you might end up (or how badly you might need a job).
79. …pitched & published more clips.? For the aforementioned reason.
80. …NOT interned. As a broadcast concentrator it’s better to intern AFTER you finish your Master’s Project. The quality of your work and relationships count, never spread yourself too thin.
81. …realized earlier that you should think of yourself not as a student, but as a freelance writer, with J-school professors for editors.
82. …started looking for a job months before graduation.
83. …taken more Skills classes.
84. …organized my time a little bit better. When all the big projects were due at the end of the semester, I fell behind because I spent too much time on one and neglected another. The Spring is not the same as the Fall term in terms of structure (RW1 all the time), so be prepared.
85. ..asked my Master’s adviser for feedback sooner on the first draft. If you don’t get feedback within a week or so, press your adviser.?Especially if you are going to India for the Covering Religion trip, it is imperative you get as
    much critical analysis as possible so you know what kind of work you
    need to do for the second and third drafts.
86. …attended a non-J-school event or something Columbia related
    (basketball game, film showing, etc). I know time is rough, but you’re at Columbia so try to make the use of the university’s amenities while you have the time.
87. …stuck around for the post-graduation on Wednesday reception longer instead of having to rush to an early dinner reservation and miss saying congratulations/goodbye to a few people. When its time to call the restaurants to reserve a spot in April (or earlier), schedule your party into the evening hours of graduation day because that reception may be the last time you see professors and friends.
88. …bought real estate.

OTHER TIPS:
• Buy a Frisbee. Seriously, as the weather gets better, it’s a great way to meet/talk to people who aren’t in any of your classes. Some of my best memories CJS are hanging out by Thomas Jefferson, throwing the Frisbee barefoot in the grass. And if there was a cold Sapporo in a brown paper bag nearby, so much the better.

1/3/2006 UPDATE: The Add/Drop Request Form is live at the following address:
http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/courses/adddrop.asp
PLEASE IGNORE the sentence up top that says the deadline has passed. The
form went live at 9 a.m. today and expires Jan. 27.

- Dean Sreenivasan

From Dean Huff, dos[at]jrn.columbia.edu

ADD/DROP & OUTSIDE CLASSES: If you wish to request changes to your schedule, including taking outside courses, (we cannot guarantee that we will be able to fill any request), you may do so during the Add/Drop request period, which begins Tuesday, January 3, at 9 a.m. It ends on Friday, January 27, at 9 a.m. For outside classes please refer to the outside course instructions.

During the add/drop period you will also be able to submit an add/drop form for admission to an additional class we have added to the list of Spring electives, Feature Writing with Alexandra Peers.

Those submitting an add/drop request for Advanced Photojournalism must either have taken photo skills or have had Profs. Barrett or Laforet e-mail Dean Huff with approval for enrollment.

Please carefully read the information below before submitting an add/drop form:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ADD/DROP REQUESTS: Tuesday, January 3, 9 a.m. to January 27, 9 a.m.

On each add/drop request form you may request to add one class AND drop one class! If you are a part-time student and simply want to add or drop something, please just complete that portion of the form. PLEASE NOTE: 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.

You will NOT receive an e-mail from me saying that your request was granted or not granted. If you submit a request 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 for a given course, you may indicate so in the notes section of the add/drop form. 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.

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)

Please fill out all the fields in sections 1-3. Section 4 is optional.

I. Please enter your personal details below:

Your Name: SUSIE J-SCHOOLER
Your Email Address: sjs20091@columbia.edu
PID Number: C000213126
Choose your Program Type: Full-Time Master’s Degree

II. Please enter the details of the course you would like to drop:
(information for completing this section is at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/bulletin/uwb/ - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)

Class Number: J6001
Section Number: 14
Title of Course: Reporting and Writing I
Call Number: 81350

III. Please enter the details of the course you would like to add:
(information for completing this section is at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/bulletin/uwb/ - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)

Class Number: J6001
Section Number: 15
Title of Course: Reporting and Writing I
Call Number: 72241

For M.A. students only: Dean Lemann, Klatell, Cornog, Fishman, Huff and Sreenivasan will be hosting a spring briefing session on Wed, Dec. 7, 11 am-noon, Room 607B. No RSVP required. Just bring your questions and comments.

Don’t forget the last Nick@Night of the fall semester is on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the 7th floor.

Here’s the schedule for Spring Semester Prep - events and dates to help you prepare for the Spring Semester. All the information will be available electronically, but you are encouraged to attend any events/briefing sessions you can. Please note we are offering events on a variety of dates and times. These are aimed at the M.S. students (though many of the classes are available to other students within the school). The M.A. students will receive separate briefings.

• The M.S./Knight-Bagehot Spring Ballot is now available at http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/courses/spring2006/ballot/


• The Spring Letter is now available at http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/admissions/programs/courses/

SPRING PREP (watch for additional dates)

• Tue, Nov. 1, 12:30-1:30 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester evaluations
• Tue, Nov. 1, 7:30-8:30 p.m., room 607B: Immigrant America - a preview class by Prof. Mirta Ojito; this is a brand-new seminar.
• Wed, Nov. 2, 12:30-2 p.m., room 601B: Brown Bag Lunch with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall RWI mid-semester evaluations
• Fri, Nov. 4, 8:15-9 a.m., room 601B : Book Seminar - briefing session for anyone planning to apply for Prof. Sam Freedman’s seminar - Application required
• Wed, Nov. 9, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Lecture Hall: Producing a Magazine Workshops - a briefing session for those interested in these classes taught by Prof. Michael Shapiro and Prof. Victor Navasky
• Wed, Nov. 9, 6:15-7 p.m., Lecture Hall: Covering Religion Seminar - a briefing session for anyone planning to apply for the class taught by Profs. Ari Goldman and Sree Sreenivasan. See last year’s class site (includes report from Spring Break group reporting trip to Israel; this year’s trip is to India): CoveringReligion.org - Application required. See description and application form here.
• Tues, Nov. 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Room 601B: News21 Investigative Business Reporting - briefing session about new course taught by Prof. Judith Dobrzynski; she will also explain the News21 summer project, for which we will be hiring 10 students to work for 10 weeks at the J-school May 22-July 31, 2006 - Application required, see News21 details here.
• Thurs, Nov. 17, 8:15-9:15 a.m., Room 607B: Breakfast with the Deans - focus on Spring Semester questions.
• Thurs, Nov. 17, 6-7 p.m., Room 601B: Spring Briefing session (aimed at Part-time students, but all are welcome).
• Tuesday, Nov. 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Lecture Hall: Spring Preview Session - an evening when professors who teach Spring seminars and workshops are invited to present three- or five-minute previews of their classes. Typically, most professors present and all M.S. students gather for this session. Please note that only a handful of classes have individual briefing sessions (as listed above), so it is critical that you attend this large gathering.
  
  
• Tuesday, Nov. 22, 10 p.m.: Spring Ballot goes live; closes Monday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. You can submit ballots any time during that period - NOT first come, first served.
• Wednesday, Nov. 23, 10-11 a.m., 709C: Final prep session
to meet with Deans Sreenivasan and Huff with questions about the spring. Donuts will be served.
• Monday, Nov. 28, 9-6 p.m. Deans Sreenivasan and Huff available for individual meetings.
• Monday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m.: Spring Ballot closes.

  Here are the four classes for which there will be an application process:

  Book Writing
  Covering Religion
  News 21 Investigative Business Reporting
  Personal & Professional Style
  Literary Journalism
  You will know the results of the application process for Covering Religion and Book Writing before the balloting begins.

  Also see:

  • FAQ: How do I switch concentrations?
  • FAQ: How do I take an outside elective?

  Deans Sreenivasan and Huff are available throughout November to discuss your options and help you plan for the Spring, as are your RWI professors, who serve as your advisers the rest of your time here.

When the ballot went live, it incorrectly listed CAR in place of New Media in the skills options for the Spring. We have had the problem fixed. If you completed a ballot expressing an interest in CAR and want instead to express an interest in the other skills options, please resubmit your ballot.

Our apologies for the error.

Please note that we are offering the following skills classes this spring - all after spring break:

• Section 1: New Media - TBA (Saturdays, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: 3/25; 4/1; 4/22; 4/29; 5/6)
• Section 2: Photography - Sara Barrett (Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m.: 3/28; 4/4; 4/11; 4/18; 4/25)
• Section 3: Radio - TBA (Saturdays, 2-6 p.m.: 3/25; 4/1; 4/8; 4/22; 4/29)

Q: How do I take an outside elective?

A: M.S. students are encouraged to make use of the greater Columbia University course offerings to further their knowledge base in areas of particular interest and relevance to their journalistic goals. Classes (except for languages) must be graduate level and must be approved by the Dean of Students office.

M.A. students are required to take an outside elective each semester. Classes must be graduate level and must be approved by your discipline professor.

For further information, please go to http://snurl.com/outside_classes

Please note that M.S. students must complete our course preference balloting and registration process with the intention of taking all your classes at the Journalism School (since cross-registrations aren’t always possible, you should carefully complete your ballot). Registration for outside courses is a function of add/drop.

As a followup to Dean Klatell’s introductory memo (below) and the Tuesday briefing for News21, here is how you can apply for the News21 project.

You will be taking two courses:
SEMINAR: Business and Economic Journalism with Prof. Rob Norton
ELECTIVE: Investigative Business Reporting with Prof. Judith Dobrzynski

You must take both to be considered for the News21 project and to be part of
the 16-student pool from which 10 fellows will be selected for the summer.

FORM: You must fill in the News21 application form at
http://www.formsite.com/columbiaspj/news21 (live now)

Deadline for this form is Wednesday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. Selected students
will be informed by noon on Monday, Nov. 28, the same day the Spring
Ballot is due (at 7 pm). We suggest you hold off till after 12 p.m. on
Monday, Nov. 28, to fill in the Spring Ballot, so that if you don’t get
into News21, you can put a different first choice for your Seminar and
Elective.

Timeline for the project:

Nov. 22, 6:30 p.m.: News21 in overall Spring Preview
Nov. 23, 10 a.m.: Application form deadline
Nov. 28, noon: Selected students named
Nov. 28, 7 pm: Deadline for students to fill in Spring Ballots
Week of Jan. 23: Start of classes
Late March/early April: Selection of 10 Fellows
May 17: Graduation

May 22: Start of 10-week Fellowship

Mid-June: News21 weekend retreat for 44 national Fellows at Berkeley (paid
for by project)

Week of July 24: End of 10 weeks

———- Forwarded message ———-

Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 13:30:01 -0500
From: David A. Klatell
Subject: News 21 - An Exciting New Combinaion of Study and Employment

This spring, the school will offer an exciting initiative in business and
economics journalism, called News 21. Funded through grants from the Knight
Foundation and Carnegie Corporation, News 21 is part of a consortium among
this School, the schools of journalism at Berkeley, Northwestern, Southern
California and the Shorenstein Center at Harvard. Its aim is to develop
exciting curriculum initiatives while simultaneously producing first-rate
journalism through the combined efforts of students and faculty at these
schools.

The overall theme of the News 21 project this year is “Liberty and
Security”; each of the participating universities have chosen a different
sub-set of that overall story and a different media format. Columbia has
decided to investigate what has changed since 9/11 in the government’s
access to private or corporate financial information, under the rubric of
the fight against terrorism. We want to know what, exactly, has the
government been doing, what has it learned, what has it done with that
information, and to hat extent has it challenged important concepts of
privacy and liberty. We have selected on-line journalism as our preferred
publication format.

There are three important components to this project: a required spring
6-credit Seminar (Business and Economic Journalism - emphasizing the News 21
subject matter, with Professor Norton), a required 3-credit Elective
(Investigative Business Reporting with Judith Dobrzynski), and a 10-week paid
internship ($7,500 per student) reporting and writing stories under the
guidance of the faculty, including Ms Dobrzynski, Louise Story, Dorian Benkoil
and others. There is money available for travel - reporting trips and to meet
with colleagues from the collaborating schools, as well as funds for some
investigative expenses (document searches, court or FOI filings, etc.).

Students interested in participating in the summer reporting project must
(with the exception of night-Bagehot Fellows) enroll in both the Seminar and
Elective noted above. The 10 best-performing students from those classes
will be offered the opportunity to continue working through the summer and,
of course, get paid. Students who take the courses but are not selected may
nevertheless have the opportunity to have their best work published. It is
possible to enroll in these courses (up to the limit of 16 in each) without
becoming a candidate for the summer job.

In the coming days I will provide more information, and we will flesh out
the course descriptions in the Spring Letter, but I wanted to get this
message to you in advance of any course decisions you may be making about
the spring term.

SO HERE’S THE DEAL, PLEASE DON’T ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE A DIFFERENT ONE: WE HAVE COMMITED TO THE FUNDATIONS AND THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES THAT THESE COURSES WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL PARTICIPANTS; THE FACULTY WILL HAVE FINAL SAY OVER THE SELECTION AND ASSIGNMENT OF THE SUMMER JOBS; ANY STUDENT SELECTED MUST MAKE A BINDING COMMITMENT TO REMAIN WORKING ON THE NEWS 21 REPORTING PROJECT FOR AT LEAST THE 10-WEEK PERIOD OF SUMMER REPORTING.

This is a great opportunity for those interested in following the money
trail all the way from individual accounts (ex: “Islamic charities” that
were initially targeted by Homeland Security) to the government agencies
mining, analyzing and acting upon the data. If this is not what you want to
do, please don’t let the appeal of a well-paid internship at the School sway
your judgment; this is serious business and we want only those who will make
and keep the commitments required of participants.

Regards,
DK

Q: How do I consider taking an internship in the spring?

A: See this site for for info: http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/admissions/programs/courses/

Q: FAQ: How do I take an elective outside the J-school?

A: In certain cases, M.S. students may take an outside course as a substitute for the spring elective. Students are encouraged to make use of the greater Columbia University course offerings to further their knowledge base in areas of particular interest and relevance to their journalistic goals. Classes (except for languages) must be graduate level and must be approved by the Dean of Students office. For further information, please go to http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/students/outside_courses.asp. Please note that you must complete our course preference balloting and registration process with the intention of taking all your classes at the Journalism School (since cross-registrations aren’t always possible, you should carefully complete your ballot). Registration for outside courses is a function of our add/drop period.

FYI, each August, at least 100 students express an interest in taking an outside elective. But by the time spring comes around, usually, no more than 15 students actually follow through.

From Dean Klatell.

This spring, the school will offer an exciting initiative in business and economics journalism, called News 21. Funded through grants from the Knight Foundation and Carnegie Corporation, News 21 is part of a consortium among this School, the schools of journalism at Berkeley, Northwestern, University of Southern California and the Shorenstein Center at Harvard. Its aim is to develop exciting curriculum initiatives while simultaneously producing first-rate journalism through the combined efforts of students and faculty at these schools.

The overall theme of the News 21 project this year is “Liberty and Security”; each of the participating universities have chosen a different sub-set of that overall story and a different media format. Columbia has decided to investigate what has changed since 9/11 in the government’s access to private or corporate financial information, under the rubric of the fight against terrorism. We want to know what, exactly, has the government been doing, what has it learned, what has it done with that information, and to hat extent has it challenged important concepts of privacy and liberty. We have selected on-line journalism as our preferred publication format.

There are three important components to this project: a required spring 6-credit Seminar (Business and Economic Journalism – emphasizing the News 21 subject matter, with Professor Nasar), a required 3-credit Elective (Investigative Business Reporting with Judith Dobrzynski), and a 10-week paid internship ($7,500 per student) reporting and writing stories under the guidance of the faculty, including Ms Dobrzynski, Louise Story, Dorian Benkoil and others. There is money available for travel – reporting trips and to meet with colleagues from the collaborating schools, as well as funds for some investigative expenses (document searches, court or FOI filings, etc.).

Students interested in participating in the summer reporting project must (with the exception of night-Bagehot Fellows) enroll in both the Seminar and Elective noted above. The 10 best-performing students from those classes will be offered the opportunity to continue working through the summer and, of course, get paid. Students who take the courses but are not selected may nevertheless have the opportunity to have their best work published. It is possible to enroll in these courses (up to the limit of 16 in each) without becoming a candidate for the summer job.

In the coming days I will provide more information, and we will flesh out the course descriptions in the Spring Letter, but I wanted to get this message to you in advance of any course decisions you may be making about the spring term.

SO HERE’S THE DEAL, PLEASE DON’T ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE A DIFFERENT ONE: WE HAVE COMMITED TO THE FUNDATIONS AND THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES THAT THESE COURSES WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL PARTICIPANTS; THE FACULTY WILL HAVE FINAL SAY OVER THE SELECTION AND ASSIGNMENT OF THE SUMMER JOBS; ANY STUDENT SELECTED MUST MAKE A BINDING COMMITMENT TO REMAIN WORKING ON THE NEWS 21 REPORTING PROJECT FOR AT LEAST THE 10-WEEK PERIOD OF SUMMER REPORTING.

This is a great opportunity for those interested in following the money trail all the way from individual accounts (ex: “Islamic charities” that were initially targeted by Homeland Security) to the government agencies mining, analyzing and acting upon the data. If this is not what you want to do, please don’t let the appeal of a well-paid internship at the School sway your judgment; this is serious business and we want only those who will make and keep the commitments required of participants.

The Spring 2006 Curriculum Letter is now available at http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/admissions/programs/courses/. The on-line ballot will be activated Tuesday, Nov. 22, 10 p.m. (with a link from the Student Resources page). Your completed ballot must be submitted on line no later than Monday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. All ballots received during this time will be considered equal – this is not a “first-come, first-served” process.