How ironic is it that you’re about to read yet another piece on the Emory University journalism program cuts from a school newspaper?

In this age of media domination, creating well-informed, ethical, and skilled journalists should be a top priority.

In 2010, I started college with the plan of becoming a doctor and took nearly all of the pre-medicine pre-requisites until I realized that the path of a doctor is not for me. My real passion? Writing. Always has been and always will be.

Unfortunately, it took me nearly two years to finally realize that I have the ability to change direction, and to pursue a career in my field of interest. I entered junior year as a creative writing & journalism co-major and for the first time in my college career, I feel like I belong.

Noted as the best college for writers in 2011 among schools such as MIT, Columbia, NYU, Johns Hopkins, etc. from the website collegedegree.com, Emory University is recognized for producing exceptionally skilled writers.

Located near the heart of Atlanta, it’s no surprise that the university’s journalism program, specifically, has established a very fruitful reputation for itself.

However, only a few weeks into this school year, Dean Forman delivered a message to the university enlightening us with new budget cuts, including the elimination of the Emory University’s renowned journalism department.

Hank Klibanoff, director of the journalism program, states in his letter to all journalism students that “this is an unwise decision. The journalism program, since it was created in 1996, has consistently produced some of the nation’s most respected journalists and citizens of the world, who continue to bring great honor to Emory University.”

Klibanoff informs the J-students that current co-majors and minors will be able to complete their courses and internship requirements if they have already taken the introductory journalism 201 course or are currently enrolled in it.

All of the declared co-majors and minors made the cut, with the exception of myself.

As a recently declared journalism co-major, I have not yet taken the journalism 201 class. With this introductory course being cut from the class catalog after this semester, my future as I had finally secured it, appeared to be in complete jeopardy.

Had Dean Forman’s announcement been released before the add/drop/swap period, students like myself, who need a particular course to complete their co-major, minor, or major, would have had the common sense to enroll in the required course without a problem. As an Oxford transfer student, I also sympathize with students at the Oxford campus, as journalism 201 was not even a course option this semester.

Outraged, as anyone in my position would be, I sent several e-mails back and forth to Hank Klibanoff and to my advisors, determined to find a solution. After all, how can I be punished for a slight delay in finally understanding where I saw myself in the future?

Isn’t this what college is all about? Making mistakes, taking a few wrong turns, and ultimately finding yourself? Cliché, but true.

My fight to not only save Emory journalism, but to essentially graduate as journalism co-major continues.

With the help of the outstanding J-faculty here, including Mr. Klibanoff and Professor David Armstrong, I am learning that Emory’s educators will do anything and everything to assist their students in pursuing their dreams.

My individual despairs aside, I personally believe that Emory University’s plan to eliminate the celebrated journalism program from generating the messengers of the world, journalists, is simply the wrong move.

Fiza Pirani is a College junior from Marietta, Ga.

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The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.

The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.