Here are some highlights of The Crow’s Nest interview of Dr. Han Reichgelt, the regional vice-chancellor for academic affairs, on Oct. 23.
The Crow’s Nest: What’s been the reaction – around campus and around town – to the university’s decision to cancel the visit of African journalists?
Han Reichgelt: In general, the reaction on campus has been positive. I haven’t had many emails, but they run 4 to 1 with the decision we made. I haven’t heard anything from the community other than how the Poynter Institute has reacted (in deciding to host the journalists).
CN: Has the university heard from any of the African journalists who were turned away? If so, what have they said?
HR: No. They haven’t contacted us. That may well be because I understand that the State Department wants all of the communication between the hosting institution and the journalists (to go) through the State Department. I don’t know if the State Department has not forwarded any emails.
CN: Do you and the chancellor plan to attend some of the events at Poynter?
HR: No, not really. It’s now hosted by the Poynter Institute. If Poynter invites us to speak or to welcome the journalists, it becomes a separate conversation for the chancellor and me to have. If we were invited, we would probably go over and welcome the journalists. We would do that more in a personal capacity than as representatives from USF St. Pete. That’s hypothetical.
CN: Do you think that USFSP’s relationship with the State Department and the Murrow Program has been damaged by this? Do you expect the university will host the visiting journalists next year?
HR: That certainly was one of the risk factors we had to take into account that may damage our relationship with the State Department. We did speak with representatives, explaining the decision to them, and that we simply could not guarantee the quality of the program for the journalists and the expectations.
