Montana Kaimin

KBGA

Journalism
Homepage

University of Montana

Click on each photo for a brief video
You can't be a good administrator unless you take pleasure in the successes of others
	I've had so many embarrassing moments that I don't think I can select any one...
The past is the present, as the classical Greeks would say
	I look forward to a meeting-free existence...reading randomly whatever I want to read...more fried food
I'll miss the scrapping for money...being the little pig at the trough

The retiring dean couldn't leave
without a few last words
by Lucas Hamilton

"I'll miss the people for sure," said former J-School dean Jerry Brown. "They’re open, honest, and particularly in the J-School, give more than average."

In his tenure as dean of the school, Brown gave his all to build the new building the program calls home, according to his fellow faculty. But Brown doesn't take credit for Don Anderson Hall or any of the J-School's other accomplishments under his guidance.

"Everybody did all this. I can't take credit for any of this myself," he said.

Brown said he was also proud of the J-School. "I still believe this is the best place to study journalism in the country," he said. Students have "access to the corridors of power" that's hard to find elsewhere. The school functions like a "teaching hospital" as a result.

The average student doesn't get that kind of experience, said Brown. "[Students] live under bell jars," but the unique atmosphere of Montana politics and the encouragement of J-School professors helps get students out into the fray.

"Inspiration trumps instruction," he said.

That inspiration has helped students from the J-School win numerous awards, which Brown said he uses to feed his own vanity. Still, Brown considers the fundraising work to build the new journalism building his greatest accomplishment.

"We had a period of good fortune," he said. Trying to raise the money in the current economic climate would be difficult, but Brown said the donors gave their support because of the reputation of the UM J-School and their belief in the future of the program.

Though he may miss the school, Brown said he couldn't see himself staying any longer. "I did what I was hired to do.

It's an appropriate time for me to move on," said Brown, adding that if he stayed, he'd only get roped into more of the things he doesn't like to do. "I won't miss the meetings," said Brown.

Brown is already working on a few projects that will keep him busy after settling into retirement in North Carolina, including a manuscript for a book about part of his family history and a new vegetable garden for his yard. He said he'll use his extra time to write, hunt and fish, like the "deep southern boy" that he is.

Brown said that he looked forward to writing the history. "Investigative reporting in reverse, that's essentially what history is."

Back to front page