UPDATE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2007

Contact: Joe Serviss (256-782-5003)

 

JSU’S PRESIDENT ESTABLISHES ‘INTEGRITY IN COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE’ 

 

JACKSONVILLE – Recent columns published in the Jacksonville News, under the byline of the president of Jacksonville State University (JSU), Dr. William A. Meehan, contained information that was not properly cited.  These columns were written by the recently retired Director of JSU’s News Bureau who was working part-time to ghostwrite the “Town & Gown” column which appears weekly in the Jacksonville News.  

 

“It was our fault, and we want to admit that right up front,” said Dr. Meehan.  “I have established an ad hoc committee to review the University’s external communications process to ensure it meets ethical and professional standards.”

 

The Integrity in Communications Committee, chaired by retired 7^th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Sam Monk, has been charged with reviewing communications generated by the JSU News Bureau.  Written work lacking proper citations will be identified and corrective action will be taken immediately.  A full report of the committee’s findings will be released when available.

 

“We will conduct an extensive and thorough review for the University,” Monk said. “I applaud Dr. Meehan’s leadership and the fact that he’s taking aggressive and constructive action to bring swift resolution to this issue.”

 

The other four members of the committee include former United States House of Representative member Dr. Glen Browder; Ms. Felicia Mason, Executive Director of the Alabama Press Association;

Dr. Michael E. Malone, former executive director of the Alabama Commission of Higher Education (ACHE) and former President of Troy University-Dothan; and Mr. Chris Waddell, a former editor of The Anniston Star and current president of the Ayers Institute for Community Journalism.

 

“Higher learning is fundamentally based on the commitment to a higher ethical standard.  That is the guiding principle that makes JSU an extraordinary university,” added Dr. Meehan.

 

 

 

 

 

---

Submit items for news releases by using the request form at www.jsu.edu/newswire/request.