So, we have child labor and all other forms of corruption. Unfortunately, she has not been around the department lately to see that despite the university's lack of support, those in charge are making changes. Not only are there new courses on technology, but a Press and Society section taught from a cultural studies perspective and a Study of News section that focuses on race, gender and related issues in news writing. The latter, which I'm teaching, uses a book by Helen Benedict, a professor at Zakin's alma mater, Columbia. None of these changes would have come about if department head Jim Patten were not open-minded and generally progressive.
Journalism education does run the risk of being shallow.
I had a liberal arts degree before becoming a journalist. That is hardly a democratic ideal to be tolerated at a public university. The anti-intellectual attitude among many journalists troubles me as much as it seems to trouble Zakin. But the answer is not to do away with journalism departments. Tucson indeed is not far behind Phoenix in growth and is likely perched on the crest of a slippery slope into a decidedly non-utopian future.