I decided not to give up the fight and appealed to the former Undergraduate Advisor for the School of Journalism. Turns out the requirements regarding GPA have been changed to accommodate people with extenuating circumstances like mine. Which my advisor had told me was not the case after I brought it to her attention.
The Undergraduate Advisor has since changed jobs and he forwarded my appeal to the appropriate people. He added that he could tell that I was a good writer.
I have to admit, it is some of the best writing I've done.
Let me start out by saying I understand that current policy requires a GPA of 2.5 and grades of B or better in 101 and 201 to declare a major in the School of Journalism. While I have more than fulfilled the requirements of getting a B or better in 101 and 201, despite my diligence, there seems to be no way to bring my GPA above a 2.5. My current GPA is a result of my lack of commitment over 15 years ago. If you were to look at my cumulative GPA since I have come back to school, you would find it’s higher than the required 2.5.
For the past 17 years I have worked as a cook and a landscaper. I have toiled building walls with 80-pound bricks and worked in kitchens where the temperature exceeded 120 degrees. I am not looking for a free pass here, I am just asking for a chance. I have always enjoyed writing; I feel it’s something that I am good at and something that I would like to build a career on. I have also learned that journalism is not only a way to make money through writing, but also a way in which to help your fellow man. I have seen countless journalists bring light to corruption, wrongdoing, and how the system fails the common man. My dream was to emulate these people, to become a person that could use my skills and knowledge to make the world a better place.
However, the current criteria dictate that a GPA of 2.5 is required to become a Journalism Major. The reasoning behind this decision was to ensure that students would be able to satisfactorily complete the work of upper level courses. I believe that I could complete this work, but because of a GPA from 17 years ago I will not get the chance. Despite the fact that in 17 years I have learned the value of commitment, dedication and hard work, the School of Journalism does not believe that I have the level of competence necessary to complete a course of studies resulting in a degree. I feel that this is unfair and that this policy by the School of Journalism is dehumanizing. This policy reduces me to just another number, not a person with dreams to build a life for my family and to help make the world a better place.
I don’t deny the fact that rules need to be made in order to ensure that students are up to the task and able to complete the requirements for their degree. I just feel that in my case the rules don’t work. They look at the numbers on a transcript, not at the person. They fail the individual and I thought that was the antithesis of journalism.
All I want is a chance.
