‘New York Times’ Criticizes Quinnipiac University's Treatment of Student Press

Echoing FIRE's press release, the editorial board of The New York Times criticizes Quinnipiac University's treatment of its student press on its pages today. The whole editorial is well worth your time, but here's a worthy excerpt:

First, the university tried to stonewall student attempts to report stories by imposing a gag order on administrators, coaches and athletes. Then last month, the institution, in writing, threatened to ban from campus the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a nationwide media advocacy group of working journalists that includes about 200 student chapters.

Apparently the university became irate when an information booth for the professional journalists' group on campus included a sign-up sheet inviting students to become involved with Quad News. The university sent a letter to Jaclyn Hirsch, the student president of Quinnipiac's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, threatening to kick the group off campus if it continued any "interactions or endorsements" with Quad News. That's a difficult task, considering that many student reporters, including Ms. Hirsch, are members of the group.

Such intimidation does not speak well of Quinnipiac's commitment to freedom of speech, open-mindedness or academic inquiry.