A few weeks before the start of the 2009 fall semester, College of the Canyons administration all but wiped out the school’s journalism program. In doing so, it pulled the plug on the Canyon Call, the school’s 40-year-old, award-winning student newspaper. It began in early summer, when the longtime Journalism Department Chair accepted a buyout and retired. After that, administration eliminated from the class schedule the five core journalism courses that supported the Canyon Call. Administration characterized the decision as necessary due to low enrollment, this despite a record increase in overall enrollment at the college’s Valencia and Canyon Country campuses this fall. Now the rudderless Journalism Department, with just two classes in session this semester (J-100 Media and Society and J-105 Beginning News Writing), no longer has the academic resources to produce a school newspaper. And that has silenced the No. 1 opportunity students have to express a First Amendment voice on campus. This petition is sponsored by a coalition of concerned students, teachers, journalists and private citizens who are mounting an effort to save the Journalism Department and the venerable Canyon Call. We believe that school administration, made up of individuals whose salaries are paid by your tax dollars, made decisions that were not in the best interest of the college, its students or the local community. We acknowledge the chokehold the economy has around our community college system. Our goal is to present to school administration a forward-thinking curriculum that is simple and cost-effective to implement, meets the challenges of the times and realistically prepares students for a career in journalism. This curriculum would include print and online editions of the Canyon Call. We intend to present our proposed curriculum and this petition to Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook, Chancellor of College of the Canyons; Mitjl Capet, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction; and all members of the Board of Trustees (President Joan W. MacGregor, Vice President Scott Thomas Wilk, Bruce D. Fortine, Michele R. Jenkins, Ernest L. Tichenor and Student Trustee Nicolas Cardenas) prior to the close of the 2009 fall semester. We hope to do so before COC administration has the opportunity to dismantle the new classroom facilities and infrastructure once used to produce the Canyon Call. VOICE YOUR OPINION TODAY! Contact COC’s Chancellor, Assistant Superintendent and Board of Trustees to express your opinion about their decision to shut down the Journalism Department and the Canyon Call: Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook Chancellor (661) 362-3400 [email protected] Mr. Mitjl Capet Assistant Superintendent & Vice President of Instruction (661) 362-3411 [email protected] BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ms. Joan W. MacGregor President [email protected] (661) 252-0501 Mr. Scott Thomas Wilk Vice President [email protected] (661) 263-8943 Mr. Bruce D. Fortine Clerk [email protected] (661) 253-0060 Ms. Michele R. Jenkins Board Member [email protected] (661) 618-6847 Mr. Ernest L. Tichenor Board Member [email protected] (661) 609-3576 Mr. Nicolas Cardenas Student Trustee [email protected] Mailing address for all of the above administrators: College of the Canyons 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355 (661) 259-7800 (main switchboard) To voice your support in favor of saving the College of the Canyons Journalism Department and the Canyon Call, please send your thoughts to: [email protected] Save the Canyon Call!