Abigail Jacobson gives an update on research for the article she’s writing for COMM 359: Chautauqua Matters.
Through an upper-level Communication course, students are taking a “deep dive” in journalism to examine key issues impacting Chautauqua County.
COMM 359: Chautauqua Matters, a pilot course offered this semester at SUNY Fredonia, is part of the SUNY Institute for Local News (ILN), the first statewide program in the United States that addresses news deserts and struggling news outlets with editorial content produced by college students.
“The idea is to transfer the classroom experience into actual stories being printed or aired or published in some form. The goal is to help fill the gap left by professional media not being able to do as much as perhaps they once did,” explained Associate Professor Elmer Ploetz.
Our goal is to identify what some of the major problems are and how they’re being dealt with and then to look at how they’re being approached elsewhere. What we’re doing is called Solutions Journalism.” – Elmer Ploetz
Nine students are researching important or pressing issues impacting the county. So far, they’ve held a Zoom conversation with State Assemblyman Andrew Goodell and have talked to Amy Rohler and Tyler Gotowka, two representatives of the United Way of Chautauqua County. A conversation with the director of Chautauqua County Rural Ministry is being pursued.
“Our goal is to identify what some of the major problems are and how they’re being dealt with and then to look at how they’re being approached elsewhere,” Mr. Ploetz explained. “What we’re doing is called Solutions Journalism.”
At this point of the semester, students have completed the research phase into the local economy, homelessness, opioid abuse and housing, among other issues.
“Now students are doing more targeted research in writing the stories,” Ploetz said.
Issues that quickly stood out to the class included local economic sluggishness, educational disparities, drug addiction and urban decay in cities, said Dominick Corsi, a senior with a double major in Communication: Journalism, and Communication: Public Relations.
Mr. Corsi is concentrating on homelessness, collaborating with a classmate, Maisie Strader, whom he describes as a phenomenal journalist, storyteller and news source. Chautauqua Opportunities has been a source for census data.
“A goal of mine is to be able to possibly interview a homeless individual to hear their story and see if they have a message to share with the county. Homelessness numbers in Chautauqua County aren't steep, but that doesn't mean it's not a topic that shouldn't be discussed in the county,” said Corsi, who also has a minor in English and is a staff writer with the student newspaper The Leader.
Having been born and raised in Dunkirk, NY, the course stood out to Corsi. “My familiarity with the area is something that I've leaned on journalistically throughout my course work when possible,” he said. He’s also pursuing networking events and opportunities ahead of graduation next spring.
Abigail Jacobson, a senior Journalism major from Callicoon Center, NY, indicated she can apply newly acquired knowledge from the course to pursue career goals. Her career plans include working in print or broadcast journalism or going to law school.
“For example, with homelessness in Dunkirk, I can use the knowledge I learn from this class and my peers and take it to Buffalo and their homeless population there,” Ms. Jacobson explained.
Jacobson, The Leader’s news editor, also has a minor in Criminal Justice. By having this minor and discussing these issues in this class, she explained, “I can relate it to my career plan by understanding the issues and use my knowledge in the criminal justice field to put forth when I become a lawyer.”
“The concept is, instead of just identifying a problem, we look at ways that can help solve it,” Ploetz said.
As juniors and seniors, the students already bring research experience into the 3-credit course. Multiple academic majors are represented, including three students majoring in Communication: Journalism. There are two students each from The Leader and Fredonia Radio Systems.
“I would say students seem to be excited about engaging with actual issues affecting the community. The challenge will be coming up with focusing and creating stories within the timeframe of the semester,” said Ploetz, a former reporter with The Buffalo News who helped design the Department of Communication’s Journalism major and has taught most of the major’s courses. He has been the advisor to The Leader since 2009.
Students have been introduced to ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), a classification utilized by the United Way when evaluating families in communities. He described ALICE as an “enlightening” aspect revealed to the students in their research.
What they’ve learned is that 44 percent of households in Chautauqua County are living in poverty or are classified under ALICE, Ploetz said. “What that also means is people are employed, but they don’t make enough money to live a middle-class life. What ALICE means is they’re working, but they’re still poor,” said Ploetz.
“That was a surprise to me, and I think a surprise to our students.”
SUNY Fredonia developed COMM 359: Chautauqua Matters as the vehicle to achieve the objective of the SUNY Institute for Local News program.
“By the end of the semester, we will have produced a series of articles looking at these issues, and we will be offering them to some local media outlets,” Ploetz said.
Corsi said he’s enjoyed the course so far and is excited to see the class's goals come to fruition by the end of the semester.
The idea behind the course, part of the SUNY Institute for Local News, is to place students into reporting positions in the community.
“The regular reporting of local news is critical and that is why we are proud to launch the SUNY Institute for Local News to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of where they live, have access to quality journalism,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced. “In doing so, we are also offering real work-life opportunities that prepare our students for careers in this vital field.”
Funding for the program is being furnished by the Lumina Foundation and in partnership with the Center for Community News.
