The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications voted unanimously at its spring meeting on April 29 to reaccredit the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The site visit team in February had recommended that SJMC be reaccredited, finding compliance on all nine standards related to such areas as curriculum, assessment, student services, and faculty scholarship. The team’s report cited “a hard-working, productive and dedicated faculty who are passionate about teaching;” “award-winning students who are professionally oriented;” “focus on diversity imbued throughout the curriculum;” and “the ” ‘Drake way’ system of advising, which focuses on lifelong mentorship between students/alumni and faculty.”

The reaccreditation process occurs at six-year intervals. There are currently 110 accredited JMC programs in the United States; only 15 of those programs are at private institutions.

—Kathleen Richardson, Dean, SJMC