Branham
named Director of School of Journalism at UT at Austin
Veteran journalist Lorraine Branham has been
appointed Director of the School of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin, the
first woman and African- American to hold that position. According to Dr. Ellen Wartella,
dean of the university's College of Communications, Branham will assume her duties this
summer.
Branham, who has been assistant to the publisher of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in
Pittsburgh, Pa., since September 2000, was chosen following a lengthy nationwide search by
an 11-member committee that included university professors, students and newspaper
industry representatives.
"Lorraine Branham is a strong newspaper professional and her appointment reflects our
desire to strengthen our ties with the professional journalism community," Wartella
said. She said the university recently elevated the journalism program from department
status by designating it the "School of Journalism."
Branham said she is "very excited for the opportunity to lead one of the best
journalism schools in the country and to work with such an accomplished dean and
faculty."
"This is a very challenging time in the field of journalism as the industry grapples
with bottom-line issues and rapidly changing technology," Branham said. "I
believe it's essential that the School of Journalism ensure that it is preparing students
who have the skills to succeed in this new environment."
Search committee members lauded Branham's journalism experience. In the past, the
department has been criticized because of a lack of genuine journalism experience within
department ranks. Branham's arrival comes at a time two minority women in the department,
one Black and one Hispanic, have alleged that racism within the department has impeded
their professional development at U.T. Her arrival also coincides with its accreditation
review.
On two occasions, the Austin chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists has
challenged the department's accreditation based on its non-compliance with what is known
as Standard 12. Standard 12 requires journalism departments to recruit, retain and advance
minority students, staff and faculty. Over the years, the chapter has also acted as an
advocate for journalism students who have encountered problems within the department,
which some say is not hospitable to minority students. Branham is a long-time member of
NABJ.
Branham was senior vice president and executive editor of the Tallahassee Democrat in
Tallahassee, Fla., before working at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She also has worked as
associate managing editor for features and associate editorial page editor at the
Philadelphia Inquirer, and during the mid-1980s was night metropolitan editor at the
Baltimore Sun.
In addition to her managerial experience, Branham's career has included working as a
newspaper reporter at several daily publications and teaching writing and reporting
courses at universities, including Temple University at Philadelphia, where she received
her bachelor of arts/communications degree in 1976.
Branham was a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University in 1985-86 and a McCormick
Fellow at Northwestern University in the advanced executive program in spring 2001. She is
married to Melvin Williams, a safety specialist for the United States Department of
Transportation.
The School of Journalism has 800 undergraduates and 80 graduate students in the master's
and doctor's programs. It offers a comprehensive range of journalism skills training,
including programs in print, multimedia, photo and broadcast journalism. Graduates of the
program have won 18 Pulitzer Prizes. |
