To the Editor:

Simply put, this letter is to express my disappointment with those who purport to provide an education “Where Knowledge Touches Lives.” It’s a nice motto, but let’s examine it further – especially in light of the ideals I learned from, especially, the Jesuit priests and lay professors I both learned from and interacted with in my undergraduate years at SLU (Donna Skelton, 91-95, A&S 95, UNews editorial board member, 91-95). Knowledge that is censored or “shared” under duress by the changing of a charter to enable such actions is only knowledge of what happens when the “business owners” of SLU have and wield total power over the “customers,” the current students and alumni, like myself, from whom the University would like contributions.

I have a MBA from Webster University (2005), so I fully understand the business interest that the three of you have in controlling and shaping public opinion of the University. I understand that you, as a business, financially support the student editors with stipends for key positions. I understand that you shoulder the “operating costs” of heat/AC, light and security. But I also understand, and have well in advance of receiving either of my degrees, a key point that you all seem to be missing: Your mission as educators and you, especially, Fr. Biondi, as a member of the Jesuits, is to truly share knowledge in the effort to expand thought.

Instead, with this action to take over the University News (yet again, as the rumblings of this have gone on for more than a decade now), you all are showing nothing but what it takes to show fear of the very knowledge you purport to share with future students, professors, staff, alumni and the greater St Louis community as a whole.

Controlling a student press is not about the smokescreen argument of “providing more quality.” Control over the leadership of the paper and its advisor will not lead to quality, merely to more comfort for the administration of SLU to run their business without any oversight whatsoever. While yours may be a “private business,” no oversight from the customers would lead to no accountability of the business whatsoever.

As I said in the title of this letter, I really did expect better than this level of small-mindedness from SLU. I only hope that letters like mine will make some impact in your decision-making process, especially since, from what I’ve read, the meeting of the Board of Trustees is closed to even the current adviser of the paper, Dr. Avis Meyer.

Men of your stature should not be so afraid of the light of knowledge.

Donna Adamson (nee: Skelton)
Alumna, College of Arts & Sciences, 1995