The
School
of
Mass Communication
at the
University
of
Arkansas
at
Little Rock
recently conducted a comprehensive revision of its curriculum in an effort to make it more convergence-based. It launched in the fall of 2007. A survey of school faculty found that a number of classes in this new curriculum cover LGBT issues either as a separate unit, or integrated throughout the course in various readings and assignments. The university newspaper, The Forum, also regularly covers LGBT students and issues.
The school offers “Mass Media and Society” as a beginning core survey class required for all majors. The course is also an option for students in the university’s general education core. One faculty member teaching the course includes LGBT examples in all units of the course, as opposed to putting them in a separate unit. Other faculty teaching the class said that LGBT issues are covered in a diversity unit in ethics along with Native American, African American, Asian, Hispanic issues. Language issues related to all of these groups is covered briefly, in an approach that varies by semester and events in the news. Another instructor noted that LGBT issues are mentioned mostly in reference to special interest magazines. That same instructor also teaches “Women in Journalism,” and said that discussions about LGBT journalists and journalism occur in that class in relation to workplace conditions and attitudes.
Students in our “Advanced Reporting” class do assignments for the campus newspaper or stories of their choice. An instructor for that course said that one of her students tried to do a piece on the LGBT alliance group on campus. It was to be an informative piece to let students know of the group’s existence. The story was not completed because the group’s president, who initially thought the story was a good idea, later retracted comments to the reporter. The reporter persisted with the president of the organization and its members, but could never get consistent information regarding the number of members, so the story was eventually dropped.
An instructor of our school’s reporting classes said that LGBT issues are mentioned as a part of ethics discussions in all classes. The instructor said that she cautions students in terms of structuring their stories and the use of opinion. “For instance, say you are reporting on a clash between anti-gay and gay rights groups. It is important not only that you provide both sides of the story, but [that you] verify allegations and charges made by both sides before printing or airing those charges — not to let yourself as a reporter be a conduit for inaccurate and harmful information,” she said. The classes also discuss how different communities may react differently to information. She asks students what they would do if their paper or station was asked to print or air an obituary with the term “long-term companion” in it or to run an announcement of an LGBT wedding. She said that student reactions vary and that the class discusses those reactions.
The university’s student newspaper, The Forum, has published articles related to LGBT issues, such as one on National Coming Out Day. The next issue of the publication will center entirely on LGBT issues. The Forum has no formal policy statement about LGBT issues and/or students; it just covers students and student groups who are doing newsworthy things, regardless of their race, political affiliation or sexual orientation.
