Wednesday 14 November 2012

Head of USP Jourmalism School Demoted/Relieved


A press release statement confirming the rumors that Dr. Marc Edge, Head of the School of Journalism at the University of the South Pacific has been removed from his position and however still employed as a senior lecturer.

Media Announcement by the University of the South Pacific:

The University of the South Pacific would like to confirm that Dr Marc Edge has been relieved of his administrative responsibilities as Course Coordinator of the Discipline of Journalism at USP effective from 12 November, 2012. The Head of School of Language, Arts and Media, Professor Sudesh Mishra, will assume the role of the Coordinator of the Discipline of Journalism.
Dr Edge was filing this position temporarily since the departure of the substantive Head of Journalism, Mr Shailendra Singh, who proceeded on study leave. However, Dr Edge is still an active employee of the University in his capacity as a senior lecturer in the Journalism programme and will be working closely with Professor Mishra in the education and training of journalism students.
The University wishes to thank Dr Edge for his work in training students in the fields of media and journalism


While I agree that this is really good PR skills, I can’t help but wonder whether there are any good investigative reporters tuning in or whether we just take into account a press release statement, feed off it and make it news? Does this not cause eye brows to be raised?
What could possibly be the reason for demoting/relieving the duties of this man? There have been a lot of complaints from students. I am also one of them.  Although I cannot say it was because of this reason alone that he had been demoted/relieved. Could it be that, this same professional teaches about blogs and follows blogging sites that incite hate and discrimination like Coup 4.5 or truths for Fiji blog sites?  Fighting with veteran journalists who have been here longer??  Making claims that Fiji journalists had been practicing self-censorship even after PR has been lifted? U can see this story on www. fijiivillage.com

                                                        

 Check out the grubsheet. Click here.
In this particular article, one can clearly see some of the treatment students have been receiving. One can also see here the kind of respect he gets as an academic by reading the replies of the students. One student even went on to thank Graham Davis for putting up that article as it was a way for them to remain anonymous and be able to voice their grievances without the fear of being victimized.  With the new strategic plan for 2013, and the 5% increase, should the Journalism program fees also be increased, taking into account my first blog? The 2012 strategic plan stated providing a safe environment for students to be educated in. In this particular issue, on the grubsheet, a certain student had been bullied to the point of her crying in class. He had made an example out of her. This was after she had been asking on a social networking site why we didn’t learn about media in other countries. She was an international student, paid three times more than local students to be educated in a safe environment. He had claimed that it was because she defamed him in those social networking sites and made an example out of her.
Another student he recently tried to ban from entering the school premises. This student was registered, paid his fees and had every right to be in the facility. Dr. Edge had told those teaching under his department to disallow this student to enter the school and also told the securities. However this issue was remedied fast.
If you want to know more stories of the kinds of treatment and words used to describe the kind of relationship some of these students had with Dr. Edge, find out more about these students and try reading their corresponding emails with this demoted Head of School. You will find not a professional but a bully. Plain and simple. It is all there on hard plain evidence.  I do have all those emails forwarded to me as well. Yet I cannot say much on the subject nor can I put it up here just yet because I do not yet have their permission to do so. 

Yet could it be the student grievances that triggered this or was it something else?? Talking about journalists in Fiji and how they do not probe for answers still scared after the PER has been lifted? How can we be sure of the reason for this demotion? I must say I truly did like the PR skills on this press release using words like relieve. Don’t hate people. It’s a blog. My opinions!! By the way I am unpublishing my first post , so you can see grievances in JN201. First I apologize to you Irene. I know it was not really your fault. I cannot change anything in it though. I didn’t see it at the time, but I guess you did do the best you could  since the person who was supposed to be doing the job, didn’t.

Again this is a blog. My opinions and if you would like to hate, then go ahead. I am just voicing out my thoughts.So is it really demoted or relieved?? Hmmm i really do wonder?? 
#in total awe of the PR skills.....