Burt Dragin

When one thinks of journalism at Laney College, one thinks of Burt Dragin. It only seems like Burt has been at Laney since the printing press was invented; in reality he arrived in 1970, making him one of our longest-tenured faculty members.

Burt learned about Laney College while writing his Master’s dissertation at USC, and after graduation
accepted a position as a part-time journalism instructor and faculty advisor to the Laney Tower newspaper. A few years later, in 1974, he became chair of the Journalism department.

Over the years, Burt steered the Tower through the administrative shoals, and today it is the student paper of record for all the Peralta Colleges. Along the way, he mentored some pretty fair journalists, including 2006 Pulitzer Prize winner Dean Calbreath, USA Today columnist Tom Weir, Oakland Tribune police reporter Harry Harris and Oakland Tribune Editor Martin Reynolds.

Burt is also the gentle but firm hand behind “Good News,” the campus literary magazine that encompasses the best written and poetic efforts of Laney’s faculty, staff and students.

Burt remains a prolific author of articles and editorials, and is most proud of an op-ed piece, “Bad News Bearers,” that led to restoration of funding for student newspapers in the Oakland schools. He also authored a 2005 book, “Six-to-Five Against: A Gambler’s Odyssey,” and remains an avid tennis player who has covered Wimbledon as a journalist on two occasions. For Burt, retirement isn’t in the cards, yet: “It’s just so much fun…
usually,” says Burt, “and I am amazed by the new facilities, renovations and campus improvements over the past few years.” Thank you, Burt, for a lifetime of contributions to Laney College.