Journalism Program Adds New Latinx Concentration

A hot topic in newsrooms and work environments lately has been equality, diversity and inclusion. Prominent newspapers like the Los Angeles Times have been criticized by readers and writers alike for their lack of diversity in the newsroom and noting how the newsroom does not reflect the demographics in its area.

At California State University, Dominguez Hills, where over 60 percent of students identify as Latino/a/x, Communications Assistant Professor Dr. Ana de la Serna is proposing a new Latinx Concentration for students who are pursuing their Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

This proposal has been in the works since 2018 and Dr. de la Serna hopes to see it in action by 2022. Joining her on this endeavor is the Spanish Department and Chicano/a Studies Department that will teach intermediate Spanish language courses and the history and culture of Latin America and its different identities and representations in the U.S., respectively. The Chicano/a Studies and Spanish Departments will partner with the Communications Department and faculty in the Journalism program.

The only other university in the California State University system, which is the nation's largest public university system, is California State University, Northridge, which offers a Minor in Spanish-Language Journalism. Their curriculum consists of specialized Journalism, Chicano/a Studies courses, Spanish language classes, and courses in Central American Studies.

"I've talked about it in a lot of places, like in classes and in meetings, and everybody's really excited about it," Dr. de la Serna said.

Excitement and anticipation surrounds this project, not only from Dr. de la Serna but also from the Department's Journalism Advisory Board. This board is made up of practicing journalists who evaluate and give recommendations on the program. In fact, they were who recommended that the history of Latin America be included in the curriculum.

The concentration will have students take two Intermediate Spanish courses and one grammar and comprehension course. Although knowing Spanish is not a requirement, Dr. de la Serna's advice is for students to take an Introductory Spanish course to dip their toes in the water and, if they're feeling confident, to enroll in the Intermediate Spanish courses.

"Speaking with the people in the Spanish Department, we agreed that it wouldn't be in the best interest of somebody who has absolutely no Spanish experience to come in because you can't do reporting in Spanish," Dr. de la Serna said.

From this concentration, Dr. de la Serna expects students will be proficient in news writing in Spanish, including the cultural significance of Latin America, along with learning how to write and report in a fair and balanced way.

Proposing and implementing a new program can already be a time-consuming process, but COVID-19 has made this process take longer than usual. Dr. Nancy Cheever, Journalism Program Coordinator and former Communications Department Chair, says that the longest aspect is conceptualizing the program and its new curriculum.

"The curriculum process, developing new curriculum especially, can be very time-consuming because we want to ensure that all the learning outcomes are met, that we know exactly what it is that we want students to learn," Dr. Cheever said. "It's complicated, but for a reason. These things need to be very meticulous and thought through."

CSUDH has the location, student demographic, and soon the faculty to teach a journalism program specializing in Spanish reporting. Bringing recognition and a voice to those who aren't English-language speakers, Dr. Cheever felt it was important for the department to offer the same opportunity for Spanish journalism students.

"We have a lot of Spanish-language media in L.A. and I think a lot of the talent is not coming from our area, and certainly not from the Cal State," Dr. Cheever said. "So, this is a way to train our Spanish-speaking students, or LatinX students, to be able to thrive in Spanish-language media, which they previously really haven't been able to do much of."

After the College of Arts and Humanities confirms the concentration, it is sent to the university to review, then lastly approved by a curriculum committee at the CSU Chancellor's office. Once confirmed by the Chancellor's office, CSUDH will be the second university in the CSU system to offer such a program for students.