To the Editor:

The editorial last week only scratched the surface of revealing the slimy, bloody underbelly that is Saint Louis University administration. For those of you who barely look at the newspaper and bound through life holding hands with Pollyanna, have a great life. For those who see the world through clear fog-resistant lenses, listen up.

I am Richard Benanti, father of Diana L. Benanti, this year’s editor-in chief of The University News. I have watched Diana put her heart and soul into making this paper the best it has ever been. Her ethics and journalism prowess are beyond reproach. Diana comes from a working-class Journalism background and family tradition. The arguments we have had at the dinner table over journalism ethics have left me speechless when her and her mother, also a Journalist, show their veracity for explaining both sides of an issue and do it with integrity and beyond reproach.

To set the record straight, Diana chose not to run for editor in chief for 2007-2008 newspaper term because she was told first by administrator Phil Lyons, then Peck, Weixlmann and Porterfield that Fr. Biondi was closing this paper office and moving them off campus because, as he has been quoted in the past, “I DON’T GET ALONG WITH NEWSPAPERS, like when RFT had to be removed from campus.” Ask the lady who came into SLU News office to measure for her furniture to fit.

The tuition increase for this 2007-08 basketball season just became nothing but net. As Biondi has said in the past, paraphrasing: SLU will be number-one (sorry wrong finger) in Midwest collegiate sports because that is where the money is.

This information comes from a very good source and seems to be well known in the underbelly offices. Now that the 2007-2008 U-News editor has been elected, Biondi will probably not have to destroy the paper as he has apparently been trying to do behind the scenes.

Porterfield said he wanted student feedback on the charter changes, but added, “I don’t think it would be fair to say it is a negotiation.” Let me explain this in underbelly English, “Father Biondi told me to tell the students, they can kiss his lily white ____. In the name of god and no truth typopopopos will be unleashed on the student population.” In reality he has broken the back of this fine newspaper tradition. The students can now be fed baby food and patted on the head because Biondi will do what he d____ well pleases. Now the news can be made without anyone noticing that SLU news is led by “underbelly rules”.

When tuition increases 12.5 percent for the 2008-2009 year to pay for the new basketball arena and Biondi’s new (coach) Million Dollar Baby. No one will notice because the paper will be covering the on-campus flower planting schedule.

TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, Nancy Reagan said it best-“Just say NO”.

I remain a proud father,

Richard Benanti
SLU parent