tough act to follow

‘It all started with Jo Anne’

In the early 1960s, when the late Dean Rae Weimer split law of mass communications after it reached 75 students, Jo Anne Smith asked to teach a section.

By the time Smith retired in 1988 after four decades at the College, she had introduced nearly 10,000 students to the complex world of media law.

“Like all the undergraduate students in the College, I had to take Law of Mass Communication to graduate, and, like most students, I dreaded it,” said Prof. Sandra Chance, JM 1975, MAJC 1985, who teaches the course today. “Lucky for me, I had Prof. Smith, who was an incredible teacher and role model. She made the law exciting, challenging and extraordinarily relevant. With her guidance and enthusiasm, I realized that everyone, including me, could read and understand the law.”

If that wasn’t enough of a chance connection: Smith created the Florida Freedom of Information Clearing House, the predecessor to the Brechner Center, which Chance runs.

“[Smith] expected the highest level of performance from her students,” said Chance, Teacher of the Year in 1998, “and then the students were challenged to perform at that level and achieve things that probably they didn’t ever think they could. One of the most important attributes of a great teacher is to inspire students to do better than they ever thought they could. If I do that, then I’ve done a good day’s work.”

According to her students, she does.

“People like Prof. Chance are guardians of journalism,” said Chris Chmura, TEL 1998, who works for the Associated Press Broadcast News Center in Washington, D.C. “They’re our only defense against more cases of so-called reporters flaunting a reckless disregard for the truth.”

Joining Chance in this battle – and helping to fill Smith’s shoes – is Laurence Alexander, who has been teaching Media Law since he arrived at UF in 1991.

“I want students to have an understanding and appreciation for the law,” said Alexander, named Teacher of the Year twice. “I would like them to leave with a new sense of empowerment and responsibility for the profession that they are pursuing.”

According to his students, his approach pays off.

“He taught me to relish in the situation and enjoy making my mind work,” said Sarah Bembry Davis, MAMC 2002, public relations manager at AAA Carolinas. “He taught me to enjoy journalism and how it changes, but to always fight to keep information available to the public.”

These reflections are reminiscent of what Smith’s students have been saying about her.

Most of the historical case information Keith Cannon, MAJC, 1976, knows, he learned in Smith’s class, he said.

“I still make use of it today,” said Cannon, associate professor of journalism at Wingate University.

Like Smith, Chance and Alexander teach students from every discipline in the College.

“[The College has] a stellar reputation for our media law program,” Chance said, “and I think that it all started with Jo Anne.”

Smith was ahead of her time. She taught a subject that, in the early 1960s, many women weren’t encouraged or even allowed to teach. She also taught media law when it wasn’t a recognized specialty.

“Training then was more through political science, not the law school,” Smith said. “Today, there is a recognized specialty and so training is more specific and complete.”

—Cherie Stull