In response to the last post, someone gives a thoughtful response and sort-of apology to Kari. Kudos -- it certainly matters to get serious responses. Of course, one has to wonder why the newspaper doesn't issue serious responses -- instead, someone who fears she may get in trouble posts on this blog and the devil's advocate. Where are the serious responses in the newspaper?
Which leads to another question: in the response to the Censorship? post, the author makes the comment that the newspaper is supposed to be about news. No doubt! So where does an "op/ed" about rape being a way for ugly women to get laid or to pass time in prison fit into this mission of the newspaper? Where does a comic strip about peeing on a 14-year-old Latina fit under the rubric of "news"? I'd like to believe that those on the paper are learning, but it isn't abundantly clear at this point that learning has occurred. Instead, it seems that the paper is mocking students and trying to sweep this latest fiasco under the rug. Fortunately, many are not letting that happen -- and it is newsworthy to report on it. In fact, it may go a long way to do some real investigative journalism into racism, sexism, and homophobia on campus.
Which leads to an idea: rather than asking all of these people to come to the Recorder and write stories, why don't Recorder staff writers take the initiative and go get the stories that affect and interest their peers? After all, I know I wouldn't want to be in the same room alone with Mark Rowan, given that he's shown nothing but disdain for women, people of color, and queer folks. Rather than insisting that the disgruntled people come and write for the Recorder (and when they do, they get edited out for writing "opinion" rather than news...), how about the staff writers going to get the stories? As it stands now, the "newspaper" is really little more than Rowan & Co. opinion. Just because you call it a newspaper doesn't mean it really is one....
But to the one who wrote in to the blog -- thanks. I do appreciate your sincerity and agree that you should be disappointed that the story was edited down. That shows a sense of responsibility often unseen in the newspaper. If only others on the staff were equally interested in creating a real newspaper.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Censorship?
So I guess only Rowan-approved writers can write about the cartoon fiasco in The Recorder? In this week's issue, a staff writer penned a decent article about continued fallout, although she clearly sides with the Pres, who of course supports First Amendment rights to the exclusion of all other rights. (Curious....) But Kari Sledzik's intelligent article on Jena 6, while published, has been cleansed of any connection between racism in Jena, LA and racism at CCSU. (You can find the original article and the excised content at the devil's advocate.) One might argue that Rowan & co. were doing their jobs as editors ... but it appears that the "editors" really didn't want to connect the dots and are ashamed and embarrassed to admit that what they published is not much better than hanging a noose in a tree. Racism is racism, crimes are crimes, and the right to free press is not a free pass to print any ol' thing. With rights come responsibilities, yet no one wants to hold people responsible for their actions.
Of course, real journalists are not afraid to ask the question, Is Jena America? Good for Kari, who at least tried to make the connections. Too bad her efforts were censored, and in her own newspaper.
Of course, real journalists are not afraid to ask the question, Is Jena America? Good for Kari, who at least tried to make the connections. Too bad her efforts were censored, and in her own newspaper.
Monday, September 24, 2007
From the mouths of REAL journalists
Mad ups to Stan Simpson, Bob Englehart, Timothy Chambers, and Bessy Reyna for their speaking out in the Courant -- now that's some free speech I can get behind because it 1) pushes us to think (no one is afraid of controversy, after all); 2) speaks truths without intimidating and harassing entire groups of people, thereby protecting the Fourteenth Amendment as well as the First; and 3) encourages real free speech, not Rowan-exclusive speech masquerading as free speech.
And Englehart is a cartoonist -- perhaps the one with the dog in this particular fight -- and he's speaking truth to power about publishing, controversy, and responsibility. If only I were a journalism major at CCSU...well...I still aspire to work with the likes of such conscientious and thoughtful people with whom I may not agree but with whom I can enjoy an intelligent discussion about rights -- and what is the right thing to do.
Right(s) on!!
And Englehart is a cartoonist -- perhaps the one with the dog in this particular fight -- and he's speaking truth to power about publishing, controversy, and responsibility. If only I were a journalism major at CCSU...well...I still aspire to work with the likes of such conscientious and thoughtful people with whom I may not agree but with whom I can enjoy an intelligent discussion about rights -- and what is the right thing to do.
Right(s) on!!
Sick and tired ... of being sick and tired
Is anyone else out there as frustrated and disgusted with President Miller's constant defense of Mark Rowan's rights? At every turn, he's talking about the First Amendment. That's great -- we need to talk about First Amendment. But he's spouting off about rights -- what about responsibilities that accompany those rights? And what about my Fourteenth Amendment rights?? Where are those when he's talking about constitutional protections?
I don't have his latest missive to the entire CCSU community but when I do, I'll post it -- in it, he asks us to look to the positives, everything CCSU has done right. Is he trying to convince us that the constant hostile workplace climate at Central is old news like Rowan & co.? Methinks he's not paying attention for a reason. Like naming names, this "focus on the positive, ignore the negative" is a diversionary tactic. Keep the pressure on! This is OUR campus -- WE have rights, too!!
I don't have his latest missive to the entire CCSU community but when I do, I'll post it -- in it, he asks us to look to the positives, everything CCSU has done right. Is he trying to convince us that the constant hostile workplace climate at Central is old news like Rowan & co.? Methinks he's not paying attention for a reason. Like naming names, this "focus on the positive, ignore the negative" is a diversionary tactic. Keep the pressure on! This is OUR campus -- WE have rights, too!!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Putting that censorship out there
Kudos for whoever started the blog of stories rejected by the CCSU quote/unquote editors, Rowan & Co. It is sheer genius to put it out there -- after all, Rowan himself put it out there that students could publish in their newspaper (file that under "D" for "duh" because it is the STUDENT newspaper). Turns out, however, that he doesn't want students to write about the latest Rowan-sponsored fiasco.
And when Stan "I live for the First Amendment" Simpson at the Courant gives you a First-Amendment Smackdown, you know you are in a heap o' trouble. Kudos to Stan -- he's joined the legions of folks embarrassed by the Recorder and even suggests, albeit in a veiled way, that there may be something to be done about this gross overstepping of boundaries.
And really, who is going to hire these folks associated with the Recorder once they're out of school? First, CCSU seems a joke. The Recorder has made it so becuase CCSU is only in the news when Rowan et al make it so. Second, if you really want a career in journalism, The Recorder isn't helping you -- in fact, many would argue that it is alienating you. Who in their right journalistic mind would hire you if this is the kind of publicity you attract? Some at The Recorder surely want more than a good "nana-boo-boo" at the Establishment that can't touch 'em. Right?? We'll see.... Maybe some will wise up and vote Rowan out of office before he can do more damage to their future careers.
Or perhaps those who have been denied the right to publish in their own student newspaper will take it to the Media Board and demand to know why this Board is holding over $150,000 of student money for the newspaper but not letting students who paid those fees access the platform of free speech that is valued over all other rights. (If the current line-up is correct, there are open student spots on that board....) And a gander at the Media Board Constitution can only embolden the cause. Of course, if you cannot access controversial articles anymore, it may be because some on the Media Board have deemed them too controversial. (just scroll down to that about some Toyota Prius ad...clearly the most offensive that the paper has to offer!) And you might want to know why the latest minutes of Media Board meetings is in July 2007. Have they not met since then? And if not, where are the minutes of these meetings?
And when Stan "I live for the First Amendment" Simpson at the Courant gives you a First-Amendment Smackdown, you know you are in a heap o' trouble. Kudos to Stan -- he's joined the legions of folks embarrassed by the Recorder and even suggests, albeit in a veiled way, that there may be something to be done about this gross overstepping of boundaries.
And really, who is going to hire these folks associated with the Recorder once they're out of school? First, CCSU seems a joke. The Recorder has made it so becuase CCSU is only in the news when Rowan et al make it so. Second, if you really want a career in journalism, The Recorder isn't helping you -- in fact, many would argue that it is alienating you. Who in their right journalistic mind would hire you if this is the kind of publicity you attract? Some at The Recorder surely want more than a good "nana-boo-boo" at the Establishment that can't touch 'em. Right?? We'll see.... Maybe some will wise up and vote Rowan out of office before he can do more damage to their future careers.
Or perhaps those who have been denied the right to publish in their own student newspaper will take it to the Media Board and demand to know why this Board is holding over $150,000 of student money for the newspaper but not letting students who paid those fees access the platform of free speech that is valued over all other rights. (If the current line-up is correct, there are open student spots on that board....) And a gander at the Media Board Constitution can only embolden the cause. Of course, if you cannot access controversial articles anymore, it may be because some on the Media Board have deemed them too controversial. (just scroll down to that about some Toyota Prius ad...clearly the most offensive that the paper has to offer!) And you might want to know why the latest minutes of Media Board meetings is in July 2007. Have they not met since then? And if not, where are the minutes of these meetings?
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Old news??
According to the folks at the devil's advocate, Rowan and Co. have decided that their cartoon episode is "old news." A student who wrote an article about the Jena 6 -- linking it to racism at CCSU -- has been rejected, denied the right to publish in her own student newspaper. Turns out, the "editors" are invoking their responsibilities as "editors" -- but only when it suits 'em.
For real -- say it along with me -- CENSORSHIP. Here's where the real censorship is. Turns out we can use both the First and Fourteenth Amendments to our favor!
Oh, and John Petroski's letter to the editor makes me laugh out loud. The boy who penned "Rape Only Hurts If You Fight It" wants you to know that he knows what equality's all about. Now that's thoughtful. Clearly he's learned a thing or two and wants to share it with all of us.
We have to demand our fees be returned. And we have to keep the pressure going.
For real -- say it along with me -- CENSORSHIP. Here's where the real censorship is. Turns out we can use both the First and Fourteenth Amendments to our favor!
Oh, and John Petroski's letter to the editor makes me laugh out loud. The boy who penned "Rape Only Hurts If You Fight It" wants you to know that he knows what equality's all about. Now that's thoughtful. Clearly he's learned a thing or two and wants to share it with all of us.
We have to demand our fees be returned. And we have to keep the pressure going.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Making headway
This just out from Carl Lovitt -- It is a step in the right direction, and one to be applauded. But let's not lose sight of the fact that the institution HAS fallen short and immediate remedies are needed. The Fourteenth Amendment is still in the Constitution, at least as of this posting.
Still, kudos for stepping into the right direction. Finally -- something beyond protecting Rowan and Co., as if theirs are the only rights to be protected.
Dear Colleagues,
Beyond the outrage occasioned by the Recorder’s publication of the offensive cartoon, I share with many others a deep concern about the implication that CCSU is not sensitive to racial diversity and respectful of difference and that it does not provide a safe environment for those who work and study here. These are serious allegations. Our mission statement explicitly states that “We foster a welcoming environment in which all members of our diverse community receive encouragement, feel safe, and acquire self-confidence.” If our institution has fallen short of meeting this essential responsibility to our community, then I believe it is our collective responsibility to take decisive steps to improve our environment.
Much has been made of the steps that our laws and Constitution prevent us from taking in response to the present situation, but there are clearly actions available that will allow us to make headway in becoming a more welcoming and supportive environment. I'd like to take a moment to outline some of the academic initiatives that I propose we pursue to this end.
As so much of the conflict at CCSU in the past year has centered on the student newspaper, an important first step will be to implement the recommendation from the Task Force on Journalistic Integrity to develop a proposal for a journalism major. Offering a journalism major will not only ensure the availability of more knowledgable and responsible journalists to staff our student newspaper but also lead to improvements in the quality of the Recorder's journalism. To that end, Dean Susan Pease has invited Dr. Susanne Shaw, Executive Director of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, which is the premier accrediting body for journalism programs, to visit the CCSU campus in March, to which she has tentatively agreed; she has also indicated that she will invite the former Dean of the Indiana University School of Journalism to accompany her. We look forward to supporting our faculty's efforts to develop a journalism proposal in the coming months, which we can review with our distinguished campus visitors in the spring.
I have also been especially sensitive over the past week to suggestions from several members of our community that we must do more to educate our students about the value of cultural sensitivity and respect for difference. Suggestions have included requiring all students to complete a course on diversity and introducing a diversity "module" in first-year experience courses. These suggestions are certainly worth considering, and there may be other viable curricular and pedagogical options that have not yet been proposed. Given our institution's mission, such academic initiatives should certainly be part of the solution. To this end, I propose to appoint an ad hoc committee of diverse faculty members, students, and alumni to develop recommendations for proposed curricular, co-curricular, and pedagogical initiatives to improve our students' sensitivity to diversity and respect for difference. I will consult with the University Senate and the AAUP concerning the committee's membership and charge, and I propose that the committee's recommendations be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for review and action.
Finally, I would like to build on Jane Fried's recent assertion about the importance of experiential learning by suggesting that a proven approach to increasing our students' cultural sensitivity is to engage them in meaningful ways with diverse populations in our local community. Such efforts would make an important contribution to our university's commitment to community engagement. To this end, we have made arrangements with other institutions from the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education to offer an introductory workshop on "Service Learning" at CCSU on January 29, 2008. Following that workshop, we will invite CCSU faculty to submit proposals for service learning projects and courses, which will be funded with a generous grant from the Center for Public Policy and Social Research.
I thank you for considering these suggestions, to which I invite your response. I look forward to supporting all of your efforts to make CCSU a more welcoming and nurturing environment for everyone who works and studies here.
With good wishes,
Carl
Still, kudos for stepping into the right direction. Finally -- something beyond protecting Rowan and Co., as if theirs are the only rights to be protected.
Dear Colleagues,
Beyond the outrage occasioned by the Recorder’s publication of the offensive cartoon, I share with many others a deep concern about the implication that CCSU is not sensitive to racial diversity and respectful of difference and that it does not provide a safe environment for those who work and study here. These are serious allegations. Our mission statement explicitly states that “We foster a welcoming environment in which all members of our diverse community receive encouragement, feel safe, and acquire self-confidence.” If our institution has fallen short of meeting this essential responsibility to our community, then I believe it is our collective responsibility to take decisive steps to improve our environment.
Much has been made of the steps that our laws and Constitution prevent us from taking in response to the present situation, but there are clearly actions available that will allow us to make headway in becoming a more welcoming and supportive environment. I'd like to take a moment to outline some of the academic initiatives that I propose we pursue to this end.
As so much of the conflict at CCSU in the past year has centered on the student newspaper, an important first step will be to implement the recommendation from the Task Force on Journalistic Integrity to develop a proposal for a journalism major. Offering a journalism major will not only ensure the availability of more knowledgable and responsible journalists to staff our student newspaper but also lead to improvements in the quality of the Recorder's journalism. To that end, Dean Susan Pease has invited Dr. Susanne Shaw, Executive Director of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, which is the premier accrediting body for journalism programs, to visit the CCSU campus in March, to which she has tentatively agreed; she has also indicated that she will invite the former Dean of the Indiana University School of Journalism to accompany her. We look forward to supporting our faculty's efforts to develop a journalism proposal in the coming months, which we can review with our distinguished campus visitors in the spring.
I have also been especially sensitive over the past week to suggestions from several members of our community that we must do more to educate our students about the value of cultural sensitivity and respect for difference. Suggestions have included requiring all students to complete a course on diversity and introducing a diversity "module" in first-year experience courses. These suggestions are certainly worth considering, and there may be other viable curricular and pedagogical options that have not yet been proposed. Given our institution's mission, such academic initiatives should certainly be part of the solution. To this end, I propose to appoint an ad hoc committee of diverse faculty members, students, and alumni to develop recommendations for proposed curricular, co-curricular, and pedagogical initiatives to improve our students' sensitivity to diversity and respect for difference. I will consult with the University Senate and the AAUP concerning the committee's membership and charge, and I propose that the committee's recommendations be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for review and action.
Finally, I would like to build on Jane Fried's recent assertion about the importance of experiential learning by suggesting that a proven approach to increasing our students' cultural sensitivity is to engage them in meaningful ways with diverse populations in our local community. Such efforts would make an important contribution to our university's commitment to community engagement. To this end, we have made arrangements with other institutions from the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education to offer an introductory workshop on "Service Learning" at CCSU on January 29, 2008. Following that workshop, we will invite CCSU faculty to submit proposals for service learning projects and courses, which will be funded with a generous grant from the Center for Public Policy and Social Research.
I thank you for considering these suggestions, to which I invite your response. I look forward to supporting all of your efforts to make CCSU a more welcoming and nurturing environment for everyone who works and studies here.
With good wishes,
Carl
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