UT Journalism: School or Department?

Early Foundations

Several factors lead to the founding the Journalism program at the University of Texas. In 1911, about 25 students banded together as the University Press Club which was sponsored by University of Texas President Sidney E. Mezes. With interests in building up the University, Mezes entertained the idea of beginning a school of journalism at the University with many of his friends in the Texas press. Finally in January 1913, president Mezes formally presented a resolution from the Texas Women's Press Association requesting that the University establish a School of Journalism and that William H. Mayes be named as organizer and director. Mayes, who was then Lieutenant-Governor of Texas and a qualified journalist, officially founded the new journalism school in 1914, 32 years after the cornerstone of the Main Building was laid.

But 11 years later the new School of Journalism would disappear. In the years leading up to 1925, the journalism school would land in the crossfire of a political battle waging between then Texas governor James Ferguson and Dean William Mayes. "While Dean Mayes had been one of those whom Gov. Ferguson earlier demanded be dismissed from the University faculty, Gov. Ferguson's fight with the University administration had been an important factor in his impeachment in 1917." In continuing the fight in 1925, Gov. Ferguson vetoed State appropriations for the School of Journalism. In the period between 1925 and 1927, the College of Business Administration would offer alternative journalism courses. Then in 1927, a new Department of Journalism was created with renewed State appropriations.

Back to "School"

In the spring of 1948 the Department was accredited by the American Council on Education for Journalism making it again a School of Journalism. During this time, Director Paul J. Thompson pleaded to the Board of Regents for additional funds and a new building. But in the fall of 1949 the status of the School of Journalism was questioned, after a student attempted to run for the University-wide Student Assembly. The Student Court ruled that because the Regents had made the Department of Journalism a school "in name only," it was still under jurisdiction of the College of Arts and Sciences. Therefore, Journalism could not be represented in the Assembly with the other colleges and schools.

Several years later after the School of Journalism would become part of the College of Liberal Arts, a new School would be formed: the School of Communication, in 1965. Along with the Department of Speech and the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the School of Journalism became a Department once again.  Later, the School of Communication became the College of Communication. As of Jan. 1, 2000, the journalism program has again officially become the School of Journalism.