Communication and Journalism Building

Overview

The Communication and Journalism Building (C & J) is a two-story, Spanish Pueblo Revival styled building, made of clay tile and stucco. It is located on the southern end of campus at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It sits on the corner of Central Avenue and Yale Boulevard with its main entrance facing north toward Redondo Drive.

Early History

C & J was built in 1949 by Santa Fe architect, John Gaw Meem-Hugo Zehner and Associates with a construction cost of $147,398 and project cost of $166,470. It was built after the chemical engineering building with a completion date on August 3, 1949. Meem’s work is popular on UNM campus and in various locations across New Mexico. His work includes the famous Zimmerman Library.

Before 1947 some of the first journalism classes were held in the World War II barracks near University Avenue. In the beginning, journalism was only offered to students through the English department. The English department had only a few teachers who specialized in the field of journalism. There were two professors teaching literature and writing courses, limited courses were offered for students interested in journalism but did include some journalistic, short-story writing and book reviewing. By 1920, the department had increased in size and two new lecturers were added to accommodate the English department, it was not until after World War II, that many returning veterans took advantage of the military’s G.I Bill education benefits causing universities across the United States to see an increase in enrollment. With the increase of student enrollments, journalism would eventually form its own independent department. Keen Rafferty, a former editor at the Baltimore Sun, came to UNM in 1942 to serve as the news service director and department’s chairman. Keen helped the department fast track its national accrediation in 1955. The C & J building originally housed the Printing Plant, post office and UNM Press.

Additions and Today

In 1963 the journalism building would undergo construction again for new additions by the same architect firm with a construction cost of $161,898. There were also letters between the Secretary of the University, John Durrie of the Student Pubilcations Board, to John Gaw Meem-Hugo Zehner and Associates to improve classroom acoustics. In 1991 and 2007, there were renovations done on the journalism bulding to improve the building quality and structure. Today, the department offers more opportunities for students seeking a degree in journalism or communications such as: concentrations in multimedia journalism, strategic communication or digital field multimedia.

Bibliography

• University of New Mexico. College of Arts and Sciences, English Department History, 1989, Accession 139, Box 1. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• University of New Mexico. College of Arts and Sciences, Communication Department History, 1989, Accession 139, Box 1. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• Davis, William E. Miracle on the Mesa: A History of the University of New Mexico, 1889-2003. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 2006.

• Hooker, Van Dorn, Melissa Howard, and V. B Price. Only in New Mexico: An Architectural History of the University of New Mexico: The First Century, 1889-1989. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 2000.

• University of New Mexico. Department of Facility Planning Records, 1889-, Collection UNMA 028, Box 55. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• University of New Mexico. Communication and Journalism Homepage.