The Daily Campus

Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Commentary

Imagine a university where students are deprived of their freedom of speech. The university's student newspaper is not allowed to speak directly with anyone affiliated with the university. The online edition of said paper is not allowed to be posted until the next morning, so that the university's president first has a chance to "approve" the news before it is disseminated. Eventually, tension between the university and journalism students erupts and the university decides that it will appoint a student of its choosing to control the paper.

Where would such a university exist? China? Russia, perhaps? No, this educational institution is Quinnipiac University, located in Hamden, about 50 miles away.

What is most appalling about the current struggle between Quinnipiac University's administration and the students formerly involved with its newspaper is not the lack of freedom given to students - it is the lack of an education. Journalism students at Quinnipiac have essentially had their educational experienced stymied by administrators who care more about controlling their university's publicity than they do about providing students with the skills needed for their futures.

For journalism students, this is particularly frustrating. In college, students need more than just the lessons they learn in the classroom. They also need practical experience, which for journalism students includes learning to ask tough questions and finding out how to chase down stories. That's why student media outlets exist. Without such organizations as UCTV, WHUS and The Daily Campus, UConn's aspiring journalists would have little of the on-site experience they desperately need to be good reporters.

Quinnipiac's budding journalists responded by launching an independent online newspaper known as the Quad News. But the online paper has since been denied direct access to a host of on-campus groups, most recently varsity athletes. And the university has a new target in mind: the Quinnipiac chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. SPJ, a national organization devoted to advancing the cause of responsible journalism, came to the aid of the Quad News, giving it $1,000 to start its venture. Now the university's chapter is paying for this generosity, with Quinnipiac President John Lahey threatening to disband the student chapter for its support of the Quad News.

So what can we learn from this incredible display of censorship?

By depriving students of the chance to develop the skills they need, Quinnipiac has shown a callous disregard for the quality of education being provided there. The administration has shown that it cares more about publicity than learning, leaving many wondering whether the administration sees the university as a corporation or an educational institution. It is time for Quinnipiac to end this power struggle and start putting their efforts into more important matters, like fully educating their students.

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