With its tradition of maintaining a high standard of education excellence, it’s not surprising that the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication has held professional accreditation since 1948.
At the last meeting of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) on May 6–7, the school’s re-accreditation was officially approved by the Council in a 14-0-4 vote. The Council’s vote is the final step in the two-year accreditation process, which began in August 2014.
At each step in the process, the Greenlee School was evaluated by practicing professionals and educators in advertising, journalism and public relations, ensuring the school’s compliance with industry and ACEJMC standards. The school’s site team found the school compliant on all nine standards, a finding which was upheld by the Accrediting Council.
“We are very pleased that the Greenlee School was approved for re-accreditation, upholding its status as the longest continually-accredited journalism program in the state," said Iowa State University President Steven Leath. "This is a testament to the Greenlee School’s outstanding faculty and staff and is an indication to all of the excellence of this program and Iowa State’s high standards of quality.”
For current and future Greenlee students, the school’s accredited status is a promise that its curriculum, faculty and student services meet or exceed industry expectations — meaning students will graduate prepared to take on jobs in their respective fields.
Among ACEJMC’s nine accrediting standards, some of the criteria programs are evaluated on include:
- 20:1 student-to-instructor ratio in skills courses including JL MC 201, 202, ADVRT/P R 301. Greenlee boasts an 18:1 ratio in all skills courses
- Faculty members who engage in scholarly research and/or professional activity, which advances their respective fields
- Curriculum that equips students with the skills they will need to work in today’s global society
- Student media and extra-curricular activities that provide opportunities for students to practice the skills they learn in the classroom
- "Greenlee has demonstrated itself to be among the top journalism schools in the nation," said Peter Bhatia, chair of the ACEJMC team that visited Iowa State and editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Much of the credit goes to Dr. Michael Bugeja. Under his leadership the school has grown, prospered and adapted to the changing world of digital media."