Very few topics will stir up a journalism faculty meeting faster than the notion of bringing public relations into the academic fold. Many of us have been there: Will public relations classes taint the curriculum? How do teachers with a working journalist background approach students interested in public relations? What can they teach them? Will it sap--or at least reduce the size of--the journalism major? How do you find and teach an ethical connection between the two professions? The Penn State School of Communications faculty sidestepped that controversy a few years ago by adding a public relations option to the advertising major, ending decades of on-again, off-again talk on the topic. (The debate was so heated that we used secret ballots to reach a roughly 2-to-1 decision.) But that did not leave the journalism faculty untouched. It still plays a pivotal--and evolving--role in the new scheme. Before they get a public relations degree, students must get a grade of C or better in Communications 260, our tough journalism gatekeeper course. Until recently, only incipient print and broadcast majors, most of them sophomores, had to take the course and get at least a C before moving on. There is no evidence yet that the public relations option has cut significantly into journalism numbers, but one thing is clear: At any given time in the semester, a sizable minority of 260 students say they want to go into public relations. For one thing, they know that public relations often pays more than newspapers or broadcast stations. And many want nothing to do with asking difficult questions of strangers and writing about crime, school boards, and sewer rates. Blurring of distinctions So now that we've got them, what do we do with them? Do we fret about the blurring of distinctions between journalism and public relations in the classroom? Absolutely not. Instead, we should welcome the chance to influence the future public relations practitioners, without whom it would be difficult if not impossible for our up-and-coming reporters to penetrate public and private bureaucracies. That means a solid introduction to reporting techniques, news judgment, and clear writing. Above all, it gives us a chance to preach and teach the one vital mission that journalism and public relations have in common--the gathering and dissemination of accurate information. In essence, the journalism faculty is screening future public relations professionals. That influenced at least some votes for the new option. Aside from the obvious fact that the College of Communications has welcomed higher student numbers, there was a risk that Penn State's business school could establish a public relations major, leaving us on the sidelines. That is not to imply that business educators would teach anything less than honest communications. The point is that most reporters would rather deal with public information specialists who have been exposed to at least a demanding basic newswriting course. Public relations professionals would then have something other than a textbook acquaintance with deadlines, the varying demands of editors, and the ethical mandate for balanced reporting. Ideally, all public relations contacts would have print or broadcast experience, but I have seen a few good students go directly into public relations internships and jobs. Multiple roles Another argument for the new major at our college was that public relations doesn't have to be viewed strictly as a business or government connection. Indeed, it can play a crucial role outside the traditional corporate or agency structure. PR is often the tool of only resort for citizen groups, religious organizations, education groups, historical societies, charities, you name it, says William E. Gibbs, a recently retired assistant professor who was instrumental in establishing the public relations option. Having widened its scope to include another discipline, the College of Communications is now attracting public relations hopefuls whose first exposure to professional education is a basic newswriting course in which a 30 percent dropout/failure rate is not unusual. …