Do Grady Classes Really Lack Value???

I was surprised to open our school newspaper, The Red & Black, the last Wednesday to see an article in the Opinion section written by Whitney Kessler, a fellow journalism student.

In bold letters the headline read, Grady intro courses lacking value. As a student of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, I was more than intrigued to read what the author had to say.

As I read her article, I found myself agreeing that our classes do rely heavily on powerpoint slides and guest speakers; but, I found myself disagreeing much more than being in unison with her beliefs.

I have been in the Grady College for four semesters now, have taken many courses within the school and am currently enrolled in my last Grady class before I graduate. I have definitely had some professors who don't teach to the way that I learn, and no, these haven't been my favorite classes. However, I have found that the professors in Grady College have experience and prestigious educations, which make them very qualified to teach these courses.

In addition, how can one judge the education a college can provide solely on introductory course, because after all, that's what they are: introductory courses. Before one can experience the upper level courses, one must start at the bottom of the course pool. Intro classes lay a foundation by providing information about many things, and upper level classes provide specific information about specific things. While maybe intro classes lack interest, they do not lack value.

While I love reading the Red & Black, which keeps me abreast of campus controversy, I think the author decided to vent in the inappropriate forum. The article was very tactful, but before writing an article discrediting the value of classes, Kessler should have discussed her concerns with the Dean of the college or other appropriate administration. While I'm sure Kessler has many allies on her side, I found her article to be offensive and pointless.