By With a generous smile and soft-spoken manner, Raul Reis heads the journalism department the same way he runs a classroom: expecting participation.
A native of Brazil, Reis began teaching at the university in 2000 as an assistant professor. Some of his stops on the way to Long Beach include CSU Monterey Bay, the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, and Kansas State University’s A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
As the acting chairman of the journalism department, he found himself thrust position unexpectedly. After the sudden dismissal of professor William Babcock in fall 2007 left the position open, Reis was asked by Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Gerry Riposa to fill in for the remainder of the year.
“It was a little bit of a surprise because of the way it happened,” Reis said. “I kind of knew that at some point in my career I would have to become the department chair, just because it’s a natural thing. It’s a natural progression.”
One of the responsibilities of the acting chairman requires working toward the continual improvement of the department curriculum in order to benefit students and the faculty. Journalism department accreditation is one of Reis’ greatest concerns.
“It is a priority for us to get accreditation,” Reis said. “I think it was languishing on the backburner for a while, but now we are revisiting that.”
Currently, the journalism department is covered by a blanket accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Reis and the journalism department are seeking specialized accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.
Accreditation from the ACEJMC requires meeting nine standards, ranging from mission, governance and administration to assessment of learning outcomes, according to the ACEJMC website.
In order to become accredited, the department must write a 300-page report detailing the progress toward meeting the required standards.
“We’ll divide the work among the faculty and we’ll work towards that goal,” Reis said. “I see it as my job to pull it together and boost the morale, getting people stimulated and excited about it.”
Some have said Reis has put his stamp on the department with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor.
“It’s a good change,” said journalism professor Emma Daugherty-Phillingane. “He’s open to improving the curriculum and he’s open to feedback from students, faculty and alumni. He’s open to building bridges with the alumni. This hasn’t happened in a long time.”
Reis started the bridge building process by revamping the alumni newsletter into a more polished publication.
“We need to have a professional publication because we need to set the example,” Reis said. “We can’t have a news page, Xeroxed, black-and-white newsletter the way we had. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
He asked journalism teacher Judith Frutig to develop the stories for the publication, and journalism lecturer Amara Aguilar to help with the design layout for the publication. The end result was a full-color newsletter.
“It was great,” Reis said when describing the process. “We want to do it at least once a year.”
One of the other issues Reis wants to address involves better communication with the students. The use of BeachBoard and circulation of surveys are two methods being implemented, according to Reis.
Also, there is a possibility that a graduate program in journalism will be developed. “The goal is to make the department and program better,” Reis said.
A facility upgrade is also on the horizon for the department.
“The official word that I got from the university is that we’ll be moving to the new [College of Liberal Arts] building when it’s completed,” Reis said. “I was also told that they plan to break ground in 2010, and be done by 2012.”
Despite the increased set of responsibilities, Reis finds a great level of satisfaction in his work.
“I think the most rewarding thing to me has been just to accomplish and see results,” Reis said. “That’s the most rewarding thing: to see results. People come to the office and thank you for something.”
