After decades of being known as the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, the organization, in its Friday business meeting, continued its conversation about changing its name. It also wants to alter its equally tongue-twisting and confusing acronym to one that reflects the organization and its mission.

In a room full of high-ranking men and women in business attire, Pamela Creedon, outgoing president of ASJMC, and a professor at the University of Iowa, said, “We should change our name to ‘jello’ except that it will only be spelled with one ‘l,’ for Journalism Education Leadership Organization. It’s easy to remember and we like it, right?”

A name change could help avoid confusion with similar sounding acronyms such as AEJMC and ACEJMC.

Members also discussed revising the bylaws and supporting an AEJMC ad hoc committee on gender and race equity.

ASJMC’s new president, Loren Ghiglione, was introduced at the meeting and handed a gavel. He is a professor and former dean at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Members were asked to suggest new acronyms for the organization. Tom Kunkel, dean of the University of Maryland School of Journalism and ASJMC president-elect, said a new name would give others a better sense of what the organization represents. Kunkel said a new name shouldn’t begin with the letter “A” to avoid confusion with other organizations. He asked the members to think of something that is easy to remember and will distinguish them from ASJ and CEJ. Members also wanted to seriously consider “JELO,” which Creedon initially meant as a joke.

The organization agreed it will issue a call for name ideas and then create a ballot to send to all of its members.

Members also considered revisiting their strategic plan to become more active in boosting AEJMC’s campaign to help schools meet gender and race hiring goals. In 1989, the AEJMC approved a resolution with a 50 percent rule. Women and minorities were supposed to represent at least 50 percent of the membership and affiliated groups by the year 2000. Six years ago, however, only 42 programs – or 21 percent – of 201 programs met the criteria.

ASJMC members approved the same resolution supported earlier Friday during the AEJMC business meeting. They asked incoming AEJMC president Wayne Wanta of the University of Missouri to appoint a gender, race, ethnicity and diversity assessment committee in 2006-2007 and to raise money to support continuing research into issues of gender and race at schools of journalism and mass communication.

Other important topics on the agenda included a proposal to create a position for a telecommunications / public relations person who would serve as a liaison between ASJMC and other organizations, such as AEJMC and ACEJMC.