FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Aug. 23, 2005

Iowa State SPJ making plans for Las Vegas convention

 

ISU SPJ

     

The Iowa State Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists held its first meeting of the 2005-06 school-year on Aug. 23 in Hamilton Hall on the ISU campus and began planning for its participation in the annual national convention.

The SPJ National Journalism Conference will be held in Las Vegas in October.

“We want to have a big showing,” said ISU chapter adviser David Bulla, “because it is an outstanding learning opportunity. Judith Miller of the New York Times is scheduled to be a featured speaker, if she is out of jail by then.”

Miller has been incarcerated for contempt because she will not reveal her sources to a grand jury investigating the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity by Chicago Sun-Times political writer Robert Novak.

The keynote speaker will be veteran journalist Bill Kovach, who with Tom Rosenstiel is author of “The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect.” Kovach is the director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists.

The dates for the national convention are Oct. 16-18. It will be held at the Aladdin Resort and Casino.

 The ISU chapter also decided to hold its regular meetings on the first Wednesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. in Hamilton Hall 10B. Here are the dates for this year’s regular meetings: Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, Dec. 6, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 5 and May 3.

Chris Mackey, the ISU chapter president, encouraged students to join the organization because it would make them more aware of key professional, ethical and legal issues in journalism.

National dues are $36 for students. Application forms are available from Dr. Bulla in Hamilton Hall 116.

The organization also brainstormed about ways to serve the community, including doing service work during Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, the organization gave 2,500 rupees (about $55) to The Hindu’s tsunami relief fund. The Hindu is the second largest newspaper in India.

 

 

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