San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Student journalism is back at SAC
Two years ago, after San Antonio College’s award-winning student journalists broke the story of their 95-year-old publication’s impending demise, the media coverage and community’s reaction caught college officials off guard. The Ranger held a beloved place in the San Antonio community and local journalism.
The journalism faculty retired. And the Ranger closed at the end of 2021. The Alamo Colleges District then vowed to salvage the journalism program.
Things were quiet until this July, when SAC announced its revamped journalism program, which was merged with the radio/television/film department.
The Alamo Colleges District hired Jim Dalglish, who has a background in public relations, in September 2022 to lead SAC’s new journalism program.
This past fall, SAC began offering classes in news writing and editing. There are plans to expand offerings to include other journalism and multimedia courses, as well as “specialties in advertising and public relations,” and strengthen the alignment with its on-campus KSYM radio station and TVSA, a public access channel. SAC officials say there are now 90 registered journalism students.
Perhaps one day, we’ll be able to say that the best move Alamo Colleges could have made for its SAC journalism program was to hire SAC’s new president, Naydeen González-De Jesús, in January. González-De Jesús has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University, a master’s degree in student personnel services from Rowan University and a doctorate from North Central University in industrial/organizational psychology.
“As a former journalism student and print, TV, and radio reporter I know the importance of unbiased fact-based media. When there’s a commitment to truly report on matters of importance to the community, it leads to award-winning journalistic material,” she told me via email.
González-De Jesús, who spoke about the journalism program in an insightful KSYM podcast in August, said the merging of journalism/photography with the radio/television/film program was created in response to the industry’s evolution and that “reestablishing the journalism/photography program has been an important undertaking at San Antonio College.”
That sounds promising, but there is reason for journalistic skepticism, especially given the program’s budget. The program will need a substantial investment in faculty, equipment and marketing, that must go beyond a few signs on campus. According to budget documents, between fiscal years 2020-2021 and 2022-2034, the journalism, photography and student publication department’s budget decreased nearly 55%, from $389,230 to $176,600. Dalglish, the only full-time faculty member, receives a salary of $53,174.
Still, a recent class visit showed promise. Instructor Paul Alexander held his Radio and TV News class in the Longview Radio, Television and Film building. The class of fewer than 20 students, mostly women and Hispanics, were engaged and excited to be there. They asked thoughtful questions of the guest speaker, Bill Cakmis, a broadcast performance coach and author, who presented via Zoom.
Susie Barrera, a sophomore majoring in Radio and Television Broadcasting, asked Cakmis a number of questions, including
one that focused on authenticity and integrity. Barrera, a 39-year-old mother of four, spoke of her ambition to work
as a journalist and her appreciation of the SAC program.
“This is a university-level education,” she said. “I’m getting taught by experts who are established in the field.”
Barrera will be one of the editors for “SAC Student News,” the new student multi-platform, online publication that will begin in January.
Dalglish said SAC’s journalism program is being “reestablished.” Alexander called it a “revitalization.”
Kevin Conlon, chair of SAC’s ARTS Department that oversees the journalism program, called it a “relaunch.”
“We hope that whatever this next iteration is, it creates a sense of belonging telling the stories of this community from an equity and access point of view,” Conlon said.
However it’s described, hope it thrives.
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