City College Press Club

The Department of Journalism sponsors a student club comprised of student journalists in the program. The club is affiliated with the Associated Students and is a member of the campus Inter Club Council (ICC).

The City College Press Club serves as a resource for journalism students by providing them opportunities to participate in club sponsored media career days, guest lectures by media professionals, field trips to journalism conferences, and social events.

This is a student run organization with a faculty adviser. It receives funding for club activities from the ICC.

Membership is open to all students in the Department of Journalism, most of whom come from the staff of the campus newspaper The Guardsman and the campus magazine Etc.

Mentoring Program

The Department of Journalism at City College of San Francisco has a mentoring program that compliments the journalistic training students receive in the classroom. The mentoring program consists of linking 10 City College journalism students with professional writers and photographers who work in the Bay Area. At the beginning of each semester, department faculty will select students for participation in the mentoring program. To be considered as a candidate for the mentoring program, students must file an application with the department that is available upon request.

Students are expected to meet once a week for at least one hour with a mentor to review class assignments already graded by the instructor. The mentor will focus on weaknesses found in the assignments and provide tips for improving the quality of the student's work.

The mentoring is a semester long activity that includes periodic one on one contact with the faculty coordinator of the program. These meetings help to answer questions raised by students involved in the mentoring program and to assess their progress. The instructor will also assess whether student performance in the classroom has improved as a result of the mentoring activity.

Likewise, during the summer the Bay Area Writers Guild provides mentorship opportunities for CCSF journalism students.

For more information, contact Juan Gonzales at (415) 239-3446.

Affiliations

The department is affiliated with the San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, New American Media, the Bay Area Writers Guild, the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, College Media Association, Society of Professional Journalists, California Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Associated Collegiate Press.

Journalism Association of Community Colleges

The Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) is an association of California and Arizona community college journalism programs designed to provide continuing education for journalism instructors and extended educational opportunities for journalism students.

Since 1955, the Journalism Association of Community Colleges has linked community college journalism programs by serving as a clearinghouse of ideas, a student and faculty conference provider, and a standards setter. JACC is dedicated to the improvement of journalism education.

Membership is by the college program. California and Arizona community college journalism programs can join by paying dues each year. Four year journalism programs and other journalism associations with legitimate interests can also join as associate members.

Not all community colleges have journalism programs. Membership in JACC represents most of those who do. Membership runs between 60 and 70 schools each year. City College's Department of Journalism has been a member since 1995.

JACC is involved in various areas of helping improve journalism education in the community colleges, but its main activities revolve around the number of conferences it hosts throughout the year. Each fall the organization hosts Southern Region and Northern Region conferences. In February, it hosts a faculty only conference in Morro Bay, and each spring it hosts its annual convention in Fresno. The regional conferences and annual convention focus on extended opportunities for students through workshops and writing, photography and editing competitions.

In addition, JACC serves journalism education in a number of ways, including scholarships for outstanding community college journalism students, an annual snapshot survey of California and Arizona community college programs, a survival manual for student publication advisers, a proposed policy manual for student publications, and more. Be sure to check the Documents section for some of these publications.

An elected Executive Board oversees the organization that meets four to five times a year. It is composed equally of faculty and students. Faculty officers are elected for two-year terms and students, who by their nature as community college students are more transient, are elected for one-year terms. Terms run from annual conference to annual conference.

The JACC faculty elect regional faculty officers at the regional conferences. The JACC faculty vote for a state president at the annual convention. Likewise, JACC students elect student officers at the annual convention.

In addition, the organization has a staff of three faculty advisers who provide special services to the organization on a day-to-day basis, such as a secretary and the communications director, while the conference chair is appointed on an annual basis.

NorCal

NorCal is the northern sector of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges that hosts a one-day conference held each fall for community college journalism programs. The conference features writing, editing, graphic and photography contests and is rich in workshops.

Most of the newspaper categories of JACC's annual conference are also included as NorCal contests and there are a limited number of on-the-spot contests. A strong emphasis is given to workshops at the NorCal conference.

While the conference has been held at Sacramento State University for past few years, future conferences are planned at community colleges in the region.

Student Press Law Center

The Student Press Law Center is an advocate for student First Amendment rights, for freedom of online speech, and for open government on campus. The SPLC helps students and teachers whose futures are in jeopardy because they refuse to back down in the face of unlawful censorship. We help journalists in all media use open-government laws to hold schools and colleges accountable.

Freedom Forum

The Freedom Forum, based in Washington, D.C., is a non-partisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. The foundation focused on three priorities: the Newseum, the First Amendment and newsroom diversity.

California Newspaper Publishers Association

The CNPA Foundation serves California's newspaper readers by supporting and financially assisting the state's high schools and colleges to teach quality journalism that is also responsive to changing technology and consumer preferences.

Society of Professional Journalists

The Society of Professional Journalists is dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.

American Society of Newspaper Editors

The American Society of News Editors focuses on leadership development and journalism-related issues. Founded in 1922 as a nonprofit professional organization, ASNE promotes fair, principled journalism, defends and protects First Amendment rights, and fights for freedom of information and open government. Leadership, innovation, diversity and inclusion in coverage and the journalism work force, youth journalism and the sharing of ideas are also key ASNE initiatives.

National Press Photographers Association

The National Press Photographers Association is dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism, its creation, practice, training, editing and distribution, in all news media and works to promote its role as a vital public service.

SFSU Department of Journalism

SF State's Department of Journalism's mission is to prepare students to tell stories in various platforms and styles that reflect the diversity of our communities. They offer a B.A. degree in journalism with a concentration in Print/Online or Photojournalism. They have recently revamped the curriculum that gives all students training in Multimedia journalism.

California First Amendment Coalition

The First Amendment Coalition is an award-winning, nonprofit public interest organization dedicated to advancing free speech, more open and accountable government, and public participation in civic affairs. The Coalition acts locally, statewide and nationally.