University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Murphy Hall
Encyclopedia
Murphy Hall was opened in 1940 and has been used to house the University of Minnesota
's School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC). The building, which cost $250,000 to build, was funded largely through a fund bequeathed by William J. Murphy. Journalism, advertising and public relations courses are currently taught in the hall at the undergraduate, graduate and doctorate levels. The building features a journalism lab and library. It is located at 206 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 on the Northrop Mall area of the University of Minnesota's East Bank campus.
, the Ski-U-Mah
, the Gopher and the Literary Review. The chairman of the department at the time was Ralph D. Casey, who served in that capacity for over 30 years. The journalism department itself was founded on campus in 1922 but was housed in various locations across campus, including Folwell and Pillsbury Halls and the old Music Building
. Before becoming an official department, journalism classes were offered occasionally on the St. Paul
campus through the agriculture school. Floor plans for the original Murphy Hall called for advertising, radio, typography
, editing and reporting laboratories, as well as an auditorium, a seminar room and a museum. Plans to connect to nearby Vincent Hall were also laid out. William Murphy, a former publisher of the Star Tribune
newspaper, left an interest-collecting fund for the soon-to-be-established department in 1918, citing a desire toward “the establishing and maintaining of a course of instruction in journalism.” Twenty-two years later, the gift paid for 55 percent of construction costs. The remaining funds came from a grant and student publications.
, the University president at the time, said the renovation was, "...a jumping off point for new directions and innovations. It is all very exciting. It's catapulted the journalism school back to greatness..." The original stairwells, which featured opaque glass block windows, were retained, as was the Heggen Room, which had previously served as the school's library. The exterior of the building was also left intact. Students were able to take journalism classes during the two-year renovation but were moved to nearby classrooms.
Library, named after the former CBS
broadcast journalist and SJMC alum (B.A. 1935) , and a digital resource lab. The library features a selection of magazines and newspapers from across the country, trade-related journals and books, study areas and eight computers for student use. The lab has 52 computers for student use, video equipment for checkout and a recording studio, as well as areas for lectures. On the first floor, there is a 148-seat auditorium and various offices, including the student services office. The second and third floors house classrooms, faculty offices and areas for research. The fourth floor is home to the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law, named after SJMC alum Otto Silha (B.A. 1940). The center, which has been around since 1984, is directed by Jane Kirtley. As planned for in 1939, Murphy Hall connects with Vincent Hall, the nearby math building, via multiple skyways and an underground tunnel. Between the two buildings and underneath part of the walkway is a courtyard, which features seating and a small fountain. As of 2007, the Minnesota Daily, one of the nation's largest student-run newspapers and the fourth-largest paper in Minnesota, no longer has an office in Murphy Hall, though many of its employees take journalism classes in the building.
market.
It is also part of the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts
. Was one of the first 35 schools to be accredited by the American Council on Education for Journalism in 1948.
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
's School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC). The building, which cost $250,000 to build, was funded largely through a fund bequeathed by William J. Murphy. Journalism, advertising and public relations courses are currently taught in the hall at the undergraduate, graduate and doctorate levels. The building features a journalism lab and library. It is located at 206 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 on the Northrop Mall area of the University of Minnesota's East Bank campus.
| U of M School of Journalism and Mass Communication | Murphy Hall |
|---|---|
| Founded: 1922 | Built: 1940 |
| Enrollment: Approx. 1,085 undergrad, 75 grad | Size: 27,000 sg. ft, five floors |
| Courses: Journalism, advertising and strategic communications | Cost to build: $250,000 |
| Director: Al Tims | Named for: William J. Murphy, former publisher of the Star Tribune |
Original Murphy
Classes were first held in Murphy Hall during the winter quarter of 1940. The original building had four floors, housed multiple laboratories and was the home of the Minnesota DailyMinnesota Daily
The Minnesota Daily is the campus newspaper of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, published Monday-Thursday while school is in session, and published weekly on Wednesdays during summer sessions. Published since 1900, the paper is one of the largest student-run and student-written newspapers...
, the Ski-U-Mah
Ski-U-Mah
Ski-U-Mah , was the college humor magazine of the University of Minnesota from about 1929 to 1950....
, the Gopher and the Literary Review. The chairman of the department at the time was Ralph D. Casey, who served in that capacity for over 30 years. The journalism department itself was founded on campus in 1922 but was housed in various locations across campus, including Folwell and Pillsbury Halls and the old Music Building
University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District
The University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes a number of buildings on the Minneapolis campus that date back to the oldest days of the university.-Eddy Hall, 1886:...
. Before becoming an official department, journalism classes were offered occasionally on the St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
campus through the agriculture school. Floor plans for the original Murphy Hall called for advertising, radio, typography
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
, editing and reporting laboratories, as well as an auditorium, a seminar room and a museum. Plans to connect to nearby Vincent Hall were also laid out. William Murphy, a former publisher of the Star Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
newspaper, left an interest-collecting fund for the soon-to-be-established department in 1918, citing a desire toward “the establishing and maintaining of a course of instruction in journalism.” Twenty-two years later, the gift paid for 55 percent of construction costs. The remaining funds came from a grant and student publications.
1999 renovation
Murphy Hall underwent its first substantial update right at the end of the 20th century, when most of the building's interior was gutted and renovated. The $9.25 million project started in 1999 and was completed in April 2001. A new auditorium, conference center and library were added, as were new classrooms and a broadcast studio. Mark YudofMark Yudof
Mark G. Yudof is an American law professor and academic administrator. He is president of the University of California , former chancellor of the University of Texas System , and former president of the University of Minnesota .In addition to his position as Chancellor at The University of Texas,...
, the University president at the time, said the renovation was, "...a jumping off point for new directions and innovations. It is all very exciting. It's catapulted the journalism school back to greatness..." The original stairwells, which featured opaque glass block windows, were retained, as was the Heggen Room, which had previously served as the school's library. The exterior of the building was also left intact. Students were able to take journalism classes during the two-year renovation but were moved to nearby classrooms.
Modern Murphy
Murphy Hall today is 27000 square feet (2,508.4 m²) in total, encompassing five floors. The redesigned basement now features the Eric SevareidEric Sevareid
Arnold Eric Sevareid was a CBS news journalist from 1939 to 1977. He was one of a group of elite war correspondents—dubbed "Murrow's Boys"—because they were hired by pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow....
Library, named after the former CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
broadcast journalist and SJMC alum (B.A. 1935) , and a digital resource lab. The library features a selection of magazines and newspapers from across the country, trade-related journals and books, study areas and eight computers for student use. The lab has 52 computers for student use, video equipment for checkout and a recording studio, as well as areas for lectures. On the first floor, there is a 148-seat auditorium and various offices, including the student services office. The second and third floors house classrooms, faculty offices and areas for research. The fourth floor is home to the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law, named after SJMC alum Otto Silha (B.A. 1940). The center, which has been around since 1984, is directed by Jane Kirtley. As planned for in 1939, Murphy Hall connects with Vincent Hall, the nearby math building, via multiple skyways and an underground tunnel. Between the two buildings and underneath part of the walkway is a courtyard, which features seating and a small fountain. As of 2007, the Minnesota Daily, one of the nation's largest student-run newspapers and the fourth-largest paper in Minnesota, no longer has an office in Murphy Hall, though many of its employees take journalism classes in the building.
Academic statistics
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication features three undergraduate tracks: professional journalism, professional strategic communication and mass communication, with roughly 1,085 students enrolled as of spring semester 2008. The graduate level features M.A. degrees in mass communication, professional strategic communication and health journalism, and a Ph.D. in mass communication. There are 75 graduate students as of spring 2008. There are 31 faculty members in the school, including professors, associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers. There were also 27 adjunct instructors who taught during the 2007-2008 school year, many of whom have journalistic experience in the Twin CitiesTwin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
market.
Accreditation
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Journalism and Mass Communication.It is also part of the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts
University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts
__FORCETOC__The University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts is the largest college of the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Established in 1868, the College of Liberal Arts offers more than 65 majors and 70 minors to its more than 14,200 undergraduate students, as well as...
. Was one of the first 35 schools to be accredited by the American Council on Education for Journalism in 1948.
Director
Albert R. Tims is the current director of the SJMC. He received his M.A. in Journalism at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and then received a Ph.D. in mass communication at Madison as well. Tims became the interim director in 1997 and the permanent director a year later. Tims' academic focuses are theory and methodology, public opinion and political communication and media socialization.Notable alumni
The SJMC has roughly 8,300 living alumni. Among the notable alumni, both alive and deceased, are:- John Finnegan Sr (M.A. 1965)- Former senior VP and editor at the Pioneer PressPioneer PressThe Pioneer Press publishes 50 local newspapers in the metropolitan Chicago area. It is a division of the Sun-Times Media Group. Pioneer Press' headquarters is in Glenview...
newspaper. Also drafted and lobbied for the Minnesota Data Practices Act, which in 1974 became the state's first open-records legislation - Roy WilkinsRoy WilkinsRoy Wilkins was a prominent civil rights activist in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s. Wilkins' most notable role was in his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ....
(B.A. 1923)- Was the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored PeopleNational Association for the Advancement of Colored PeopleThe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP) and was involved with civil rights movements such as the 1963 March on Washington. Has the Roy Wilkins AuditoriumRoy Wilkins AuditoriumThe Roy Wilkins Auditorium is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Designed by renowned African American municipal architect Clarence W. Wigington, it was built in 1932 as the St. Paul Auditorium, and was renamed for Roy Wilkins in 1985...
named after him in St. PaulSaint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. - Chris Ison (B.A. 1983)- Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning journalist for the Star Tribune. Also worked as an editor at the Minnesota Daily and is currently a faculty member at the SJMC. - Jim KlobucharJim KlobucharJim Klobuchar is a Minnesota journalist, author, and travel guide. He wrote for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis for three decades, and now writes an occasional column for the Christian Science Monitor. He is the father of Senator Amy Klobuchar....
(B.A. 1950)- Star Tribune columnist for 30 years. Also contributes to the Christian Science Monitor. Father of Minnesota Senator Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharAmy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
. - Harry ReasonerHarry ReasonerHarry Truman Reasoner was an American journalist for ABC and CBS News, known for his inventive use of language as a television commentator, and as a founder of the 60 Minutes program.-Biography:...
(B.A. conferred 1989)- Worked for the Minneapolis Times beginning in 1942. From 1963-1970, he anchored the CBS News Sunday and, in 1968, he helped create the 60 Minutes60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
program. - Carl RowanCarl RowanCarl Thomas Rowan , was an American government official, journalist and author. Rowan was a nationally-syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and the Chicago Sun-Times. He was one of the most prominent black journalists of the 20th century.-Background:Carl Rowan was born in...
(B.A. 1948)- First black columnist to be published in major newspapers. Also authored books on the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
and Justice Thurgood MarshallThurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
. Seved as deputy Secretary of State in the John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
administration. - Harrison SalisburyHarrison SalisburyHarrison Evans Salisbury , an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist , was the first regular New York Times correspondent in Moscow after World War II. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
(B.A. 1930)- War correspondent for the New York Times during the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Cited as the first mainstream journalist to oppose the war. - Raymond Mithun (B.A. 1930)- Along with Ralph Campbell, formed the Campbell MithunCampbell MithunCampbell Mithun is an advertising and marketing firm, founded in 1933 by Ralph Campbell and Ray Mithun. It is now part of Interpublic Group of Communication Companies. The core business is consumer advertising through radio, TV, print, digital, mobile and out-of-home...
advertising agency based in Minneapolis. - Michele NorrisMichele NorrisMichele L. Norris is an American radio journalist and current host of the National Public Radio evening news program All Things Considered since December 9, 2002. She is the first African American female host for NPR.-Early years:...
(B.A. 1985)- The co-host of National Public Radio's All Things ConsideredAll Things ConsideredAll Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
. Previously worked as an ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV news correspondent. - Eric SevareidEric SevareidArnold Eric Sevareid was a CBS news journalist from 1939 to 1977. He was one of a group of elite war correspondents—dubbed "Murrow's Boys"—because they were hired by pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow....
(B.A. 1935)- Worked with Edward R. MurrowEdward R. MurrowEdward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
on CBS radio and became known as one of "Murrow's BoysMurrow's BoysMurrow’s Boys, or “The Murrow Boys,” were the CBS broadcast journalists most closely associated with Edward R. Murrow during his years at the network, most notably the years before and during World War II....
" before moving onto a career in television.