Hampton, VA - On Sept. 1, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) accepted the recommendation of the Appeals Board that the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University continue its full accreditation for the 2006-07 academic year.

"It is reassuring and rewarding to see that Hampton's actions in defense of fairness and integrity in the accreditation review process have resulted in a historic reversal of a decision by the Accrediting Council," said Tony Brown, dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications. "Although the appeals process was challenging, it was a golden opportunity to recognize how strong our program is and we feel the full accreditation status exemplifies the quality of our journalism and communications program."

" I thought the Appeals Board hearing was fair and the Council clearly considered very carefully the Appeals Board decision. I thought it was a very open, fair discussion," said Susanne Shaw, executive director of ACEJMC.

In May, the Accrediting Council granted the school provisional re-accreditation and said the University was out of compliance on two of the nine standards, governance and research. However, Hampton officials disagreed with the Council's decision and decided to appeal it. The University also said that the site team was guilty of ethical misconduct and did not adhere to its own guidelines.

On July 25, the Appeals Board, comprised of independent scholars and professionals, heard presentations from Hampton University's President Dr. William R. Harvey, Provost Joyce Jarrett, and Brown, along with Dr. Janette Dates, the dean of the John H. Johnson School of Communications at Howard University, who led the four-person site team that visited the University in January. The Appeals Board ruled that the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications should be fully accredited.

# HU #

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The University also said that the site team was guilty of ethical misconduct and did not adhere to its own guidelines.

Wow!! BB, did the specifics ever come out on this?

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Originally posted by TechRattler:

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The University also said that the site team was guilty of ethical misconduct and did not adhere to its own guidelines.

Wow!! BB, did the specifics ever come out on this?

Tech, I am not sure of the specifics but I think it had something to do with the fact that the committee leaked confidentail information to the Media...what that information was I don't know....

It's good to see that the decision was reversed.

Here's what was said when HU offficials met with the brass at the accrediting council back in July... and when the council reversed what was generally portrayed as a hatchet job.

Appeals board: HU's journalism school should be fully accredited

Daily Press

HAMPTON -- An appeals board for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications recommended Hampton University's journalism school receive full accreditation today.

HU officials were in Arlington to appeal the findings of the council that failed to fully accredit the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications earlier this year. The visiting council team found the school out of compliance on two of its nine standards, but the dean of the school, Tony Brown, said it meets all of them.

The school had been granted "provisional" accreditation in May, meaning the school would have up to two years to come into compliance with accreditation standards.

That decision was attacked by Brown and University President William R. Harvey, who both sharply criticized Jannette Dates, the dean of the John H. Johnson School of Communications at Howard University who led the four-person accrediting team from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

"Some team members didn't want to be confused with the facts . . . so they didn't listen," Harvey said.

"Critics -- many of whom are black -- are jealous of our program," Brown said. "Some are trying to advance their interests or the interests of their organization. We will fight all of it," he said, going on to cite the school's accomplishments and saying it expected a record enrollment in the fall.

The team visited Hampton in January and found the school to be noncompliant on two of the nine council standards. It found the school out of compliance with the standards for "Mission, Governance and Administration" and "Scholarship: Research, Creative and Professional Activity."

The team cited such problems as not having a clear evaluation process for faculty, an unsettled campus atmosphere and faculty members not having enough voice in administrative matters.

Without consulting other faculty, Harvey selected Brown as dean five days after the former school leader, Christopher Campbell, resigned in 2004, the report said.

At the appeal, held in an Arlington, Va., hotel meeting room, Brown, Harvey, and Provost Joyce Jarrett cited what they called inaccuracies in the accrediting team's report and unethical behavior by team members.

The accrediting team has been under fire by Hampton's leadership since the team's findings were disclosed in the "Richard Prince's Journal-isms" online column of Feb. 3, in which an unnamed member of the site team spoke with the columnist. That disclosure, three days after the visit, violated the council's policy against revealing information about reports prior to their completion.

Steve Geimann of Bloomberg News, a former president of the Society of Professional Journalists, told the council in May, "I was the guilty party. I spoke to a reporter. I did apologize to the president [of Hampton] for speaking out of turn."

At the appeal, Harvey called the revelation "disrespectful, unprofessional, and just plain wrong.

"Our confidence in the [accrediting] process has been shaken . . . by the unethical behavior," he said.

Harvey said Dates tried to "dismiss and trivialize" the disclosure without owning up to it for the "egregious behavior" it was. He said the "agenda-driven" team came with negative, preconceived notions.