The Collegiate is the award-winning student-run newspaper of Grand Rapids Community College. Since 1955 it has been providing the campus community with the latest news and information. It is run by students, for students.

CollegiateLive is the award-winning web site for the Collegiate, serving the online community since 2007. It provides the content found in the print edition of the newspaper, in addition to a user poll, blogs, online games and a free archive. During it's first full year, CollegiateLive was voted Michigan's best community college student newspaper web site for 2008 by the Michigan Community College Press Association.

Below are the course offerings in the Journalism (JR) department at GRCC. For more information, contact Scott McNabb at smcnabb@grcc.edu.

To find out about advertising in the Collegiate, click here.

Why take journalism at GRCC?

Most GRCC journalism courses are directly tied to the GRCC student newspaper, the Collegiate. In the last ten years, students who have taken these courses and produced the student newspaper have been judged by professional journalists to be among the best in the United States.*

The newspaper produced by GRCC students has been judged the best community college newspaper in Michigan 10 of the last 18 years, and one of the best college newspapers in the U.S. in 1991, 1997, 1998, and 2001.

GRCC journalism students who transfer to journalism programs at universities do extremely well, often becoming editors at these university papers, over those students who started there as freshmen.

GRCC journalism transfer students are highly regarded at university newspapers, and step into prestigious positions. Bottom line: freshman journalism students at GRCC can start out as an editor of GRCC's award-winning paper (most new student editors have no previous experience). Freshman journalism students at universities will start out at the very bottom of the staff ladder.

Former GRCC journalism students go on to excellent jobs at newspapers and stations around the country. One even won a Pulitzer Prize!

In this profession, having a portfolio of published work is crucial to show interviewers and employers -- even for internships. The GRCC Collegiate is an excellent place to start building that portfolio of writing, photography, or art.

Journalism Courses Offered for 2008-09 school year:

JR 251: Introduction to Journalism (3 credits)
The course for interested students to take first. Requires participation on campus working on the student newspaper. Enrolled students write at least six stories throughout the semester. Some time will be spent outside of class. Offered fall only, Tuesday & Thursday, 11:30 — 1:00. No prerequisites, no previous journalism experience required.

JR 252: Advanced Journalism (3 credits)
Continuation of JR 251. Requires participation on campus working on the student newspaper. Enrolled students write a minimum of six stories throughout the semester. Some time will be spent outside of class. Offered winter only, Tuesday & Thursday, 11:30 — 1:00. Prerequisite: JR 251, or permission of the instructor.

JR 253: Journalism Internship (2 credits)
Grants credit to students who are working at radio, TV stations, or newspapers.

JR 254: Mass Media (3 credits)
A course examining the influences of print, electronic, and motion picture media, and their role in a democratic society. Lecture course. No prerequisites. Winter semester only, Monday & Wednesday, 1:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

JR 255: Newspaper Production (2 credits)
For students who wish to work on the paper, but not in reporting or writing capacities. Areas available: graphic design, page design, layout, illustrating, cartooning, photography. Students should not enroll in JR 255 while taking 251 or 252. Previous experience not required. Instructor permission required

JR 256: Broadcast Communication (3 credits)
Radio and TV broadcast history, production, technology, ethics, and writing for radio and TV. Note: this is not a studio-based course, and is mostly lecture. Fall semester only on Thursday nights, 5 - 8 p.m.

JR 257: Reporting. (3 credits)
A course in researching, reporting, and writing news stories for newspapers. Includes beat reporting techniques, backgrounding individuals, using public records and documents in reporting, interviewing, using computers and databases in reporting, and legal and ethical problems and responsibilities. Successful completion of EN 102 recommended before taking JR 257. Winter semester only on Thursday nights, 6:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

JR 266: Fundamentals of Public Relations (3 credits)
Examination of the role of public relations in society, business, and government. Historical look at PR in practice, career options, planning and implementation of public relations campaigns. Winter semester only on Tuesday nights, 5 - 8 p.m.

What do people do on the Collegiate?

In addition to writing, the Collegiate uses photographers, graphics and design artists, web-savvy people, a business manager, a copy editor and section editors, who are responsible for laying out and designing pages. The editor-in-chief helps run the show.

Do I need experience or something? Because I don't have any.

No previous experience is needed to work in any capacity on the Collegiate. This job teaches you as you go. Applications to work on the paper in a leadership position are handed out during the first week of class. For more information, e-mail the adviser to the paper, Steve McNabb at smcnabb@grcc.edu.

And even if you don't become an editor, being a staff writer is an amazingly difficult and rewarding job in it's own right and provides you with the experience and portfolio that you desire.

This sounds time consuming. Can I really fit it into my schedule?

Usually, yes, you can. It is a lot more work than most classes (there are times it may feel like a 6 credit class), but JR251/JR252 will be the most rewarding, beneficial classes you can take, not just for yourself, but for your career as well.

JOURNALISM CODE OF ETHICS

Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible

• Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage, and educate the public in a clear and compelling way on significant issues.
• Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting accurate information.
• Give voice to the voiceless.
• Hold the powerful accountable.

Act Independently

• Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society.
• Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced by those who would use their power or position counter to the public interest.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity or damage your credibility.
• Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched by collaborative efforts.

Minimize Harm

• Be compassionate for those affected by your actions.
• Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, not merely as means to your journalistic ends.
• Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal of truthtelling.

Speak Out! Have something to say? Sound off to The Collegiate at grcc_collegiate@yahoo.com for your tips or views on the current news, sports, arts & entertainment and opinion.

Letters to the editors: The Collegiate is very interested in your opinions, so send your letters in. The basic premise of journalism centers on the long-standing tradition of providing an open forum and a free press. Please write to the Collegiate with your opinion. You can drop off your letters in room 339 Main building, or you can e-mail them to GRCC_Collegiate@yahoo.com. Please include your name and phone number for proper verification.

Letters are subject to editing for spelling, grammar, and length.

Current Edition:
April 23, 2008

Next Edition:
Fall, 2008