May 04, 2007
SPJ Statement on U. News; Action Planned
In what's becoming a fascinating story to watch from the outside-looking-in, the St. Louis Society of Professional Journalists has weighed in with another statement on the Saint Louis University (near-)decision to change the charter of its student newspaper. An action is planned at SLU tomorrow morning around this topic, which is garnering considerable online and print media play in town.
Having read some comments in the comments sections of various blogs, I'm well aware that the "general public" is not coming in full-square against the SLU administration's stand. That's an odd, but somewhat predictable, thing, as St. Louisans do have a tendency to side with the power sources. The current edition of the U. News is rife with letters to the editor, many from current and former students, which add some necessary, passionate voices to the debate. You can read them at the Unewsonline.com.
Below is the latest statement from STL's SPJ:
Dear fellow journalists,
The Saint Louis University board of trustees will vote Saturday morning on whether to eliminate the existing charter for the University News, the student news at SLU. If approved, the university will then rewrite a new charter. After much public uproar, the administration now says it will solicit input from the newspaper staff, but it will only give them a week to provide opinions, according to Editor in Chief Diana L.Benanti. And the students still have no clear idea what the charter will actually look like once the administration acts.
Basically, the university is giving these students an ultimatum. Thus the students continue to defend their editorial independence and remain opposed to changing the charter for this 86-year-old publication.
Though not allowed to present their ideas to the board of trustees, the students are still hoping the board might be convinced to take no action on the charter. To sway the board, the students will pass out flyers and demonstrate at SLU's DuBourg Hall, 221 N. Grand Avenue, starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday (May 5).
They're asking all other journalists worried about campus free speech to attend and participate.
Greg Cancelada
President, St. Louis Chapter of SPJ