Montana Dedicates New Journalism School, Welcomes New Dean

By YogeshSimpson, 5-12-07

	Caption: It was a beautiful sunny day on the UM campus and the dedication programs were large enough to act as sunshades, fans, and in the case of some, a sun hat. Photos by Yogesh Simpson.

Friday marked a momentous transition for the School of Journalism at the University of Montana as the doors opened on the new $14 million, 57,000-square-foot Don Anderson Hall with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony.

The list of attending dignitaries was long. And though many of them, including Mayor John Engen, were trained as journalists, brevity was in short supply. Governor Brian Schweitzer was one of the first to speak and most succinct. He commented on the importance of the media’s role as watchdog.

“When I make mistakes they call me on it, when other people make mistakes they call them on it. That’s what keeps democracy pure.”

The new building will enable the faculty to teach students to thrive in the new world of journalism, speakers said, and finally, the school will be united—print, photo and broadcast—all under one roof. And, several said, despite changing profession and the shiny new building, what goes on inside the school will continue to be steeped in the age-old tenets of journalism, for which the school is known.

Toward the end of the ceremony, retiring Dean Jerry Brown suggested that all the wonderful words that had been spoken would be good for the sod that had just been laid. He also expressed his confidence in the school and in the profession of journalism.

“Donors don’t throw dollars on the deck of the Titanic,” he said. “They know the ship of journalism is sound.”

The journalism school announced earlier this month that Brown will be replaced by Peggy Kuhr, a Montana native and graduate of the journalism school. Kuhr has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and will be the first female dean of the school. Kuhr started her career at the Great Falls Tribune and eventually landed at the Spokesman Review, where she worked her way up to managing editor. After leaving Spokane, she turned to academia in 2002 when she took a job at the University of Kansas.

Kuhr grew up in Great Falls and said at the dedication that she is so proud to be coming home to Montana.

“My parents feel like celebrities today,” she said.

Clarification: A earlier version of the caption on the top photo incorrectly identified the subject as retired professor Bill Knowles.