To the Editor:

The St. Louis Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is troubled by reports concerning the University News, the student newspaper at Saint Louis University. The chapter believes a proposed change to the newspaper’s charter will stifle the publication’s editorial independence and freedom of expression on campus.

The chapter is asking that the board reject the proposed change. We also urge the board to ask the university administration to work with the newspaper staff to resolve any dispute in open and transparent dialogue.

In news reports, the university says these measures are designed to improve the publication’s quality. But the existing charter appears more than adequate to deal with any possible problems. Oversight already is provided by a university-appointed advisory board.

If quality is indeed the issue, expanded training opportunities, a larger editing staff and pay for hard-working student journalists would do far more good than a proposal that greatly weakens the independence of a 86-year-old publication.

A student newspaper is not an instrument that belongs solely to the university. The newspaper is a public forum where students can freely express themselves and exchange ideas about their community and the world. It should reflect the academic and intellectual freedom found in an internationally renowned institution of higher education.

Rather than trampling on students’ First Amendment rights, the St. Louis Chapter invites the university to adopt the SPJ’s Campus Media Statement, which states that campus publications “are designated public forums and free from censorship and advance approval of content.”

The Board of Directors,
St. Louis Chapter of SPJ