It’s been quite some time since I heard any news regarding the controversial article published by Union Weekly last March. The article, which reviewed the annual Pow Wow held on campus, was found by some to be racist and spurred much debate.
With the Union Weekly managing to stay away from controversies this semester, it was a safe bet to say this fiasco had blown over. However, the repercussions from the article are still affecting our campus’ student media today.
It was surprising recently to find on the front of this paper another story about the Pow Wow article. Apparently, the Student Media Board is proposing to the Associated Student, Inc. a new operating procedure for student media to follow in the wake of the controversial review.
A new revision includes student-at-large representatives who propose a recall of editors-in-chief or station managers to properly justify his or her intentions before sending it to the Student Media Board. A two-thirds vote from the board would be needed for action to be taken.
This new revision sounds like a good way to protect those in charge of student media. During the Pow Wow controversy, the Union Weekly’s editor in chief was met with much criticism for weeks, with many attempting to have him recalled.
With what could have been a lapse in ethical decision-making, it’s impossible to know the true intentions of running the article at the time, a proper apology should’ve been enough to quash the situation. However, there were multiple attempts by those outraged by the article to recall the Union Weekly’s editor in chief. By forcing people to justify their intention as to why a student media leader should be recalled, it may shorten the length of the debates as well as eliminate those seeking blood.
Where this revision goes awry is when it bans student media advisors from participating on the Student Media Board. While it’s important for the board to remain impartial in it’s decisions, some objectivity may be lost when student media advisors’ own outlet is in question. And it’s even worse when there is no way for the student media outlets to defend themselves.
One last revision is the addition of a grievance form. Basically, if a student is offended or feels something in the student media contains libel or slander, they can file a grievance and send it to the board.
Other campuses have this same sort of system for their student media and it seems to be a professional way to handle these situations, instead of picketing and protests. Whether the student population will use these grievance forms correctly is the biggest question. With so many student media outlets around campus and so many ways for their views to be interpreted, the Student Media Board is bound to see a rise in complaints.
When writing reviews or opinions, it isn’t the aim of the writer to appease everyone; it’s to give their honest and accurate opinion. Having been writing for the Daily 49er opinions section for some time now, I know I walk a tight rope when writing about certain controversial issues.
The new revisions should keep us student writers and broadcasters ethically in check; we should be doing this anyway. However, they shouldn’t scare us from voicing our views.
Chase Doerr is a senior journalism major and contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
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