Charlotte Grimes Leaves Hampton University
Charlotte Grimes, an example of a professional from the mainstream media who could take charge of a journalism program at a historically black school, has resigned from Hampton University and left the campus. She had become embroiled in a debate over whether the school would pursue investigative journalism.
“It really was just time for me to go. I didn’t want to be a distraction and a lightning rod for a very important issue about mission and direction for a top-quality journalism school, so I just thought that, as sad and as hard as it was, this was the best time for me and everyone concerned, especially the students,” she told Journal-isms.
Grimes’ last day was Oct. 31, and her classes in ethics and independent study, as well as an exit class for seniors, are being taught by Doug Smith, a former USA Today sportswriter who joined the program this year.
Grimes was the Scripps Howard professor of journalism and was recommended to the university two years ago to chair the Department of Mass Media Arts. But in September, University President William R. Harvey named Rosalynne Whitaker-Heck , not Grimes, to head the new School of Journalism and Communications , part of Scripps Howard’s $10 million commitment to the university’s journalism program, including a new building. Grimes said in September that “there were fundamental differences between me and the president over the mission, the vision and what we should teach and my role in it.”
A strong believer in investigative journalism, Grimes said she disagreed with Harvey’s view that “that journalism is ‘to do good, not muckraking.'” Harvey disputed Grimes’ account of his views.
Judy Clabes, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation, who recruited Grimes to the school, said she wasn’t surprised that Grimes left. “I think Charlotte was unhappy there and she’ll be happier somewhere else,” Clabes said.
Sean Lyons, a former Boston Globe reporter who is on the journalism faculty, said, “There’s better communication about exactly what the expectations are as a result of this [controversy]. From what they have said to us,” he said, speaking of the administration, Harvey “doesn’t want students who go work for the National Enquirer.”
Grimes said she would come to Hampton again if she had it all to do over again. “I treasure every second,” she said. “You don’t get a chance to build a journalism school every day. I care passionately about journalism. In the two years I was there, we made tremendous changes that benefit the students and will bring more diversity to journalism, and [will have] given a lot of young students the chance to be wonderful, promising journalists.” Grimes had been a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 20 years, 11 of them in the paper’s Washington bureau. She said she would seek another job in journalism education.
A search committee has been named to select a new leader for the school. Clabes listed the members as Margaret Dismond Martin, who chairs Hampton’s English Department; Clarence J. Cotton Jr. of Hampton’s journalism faculty; Mary Kay Blake, senior vice president/partnerships of the Freedom Forum; Del Brinkman, former dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Colorado; Drew Berry, general manager of WBAL-TV Baltimore (a Scripps Howard station); and Clabes.
