1987_11 The Daily Collegian November 1987

              -Page2
18,1987 r
-Opinion-
McCue's View \
People should stop complaining about next
year*s postage increase. The postal service
needs the money to improve their service
to the public. After alt, with more money
they can afford bigger turtles. Reaching
the mailbox, however, will remain a
problem.  ' - A
BLOOM COUNTY
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The Daily Collegian
Founded in 1922
Tim Hurrianko - Editor in chief
Ktf Hem-Photo Editor
JoAnn Battau - Graphics Editor
Jon Matsune - Sports Editor
Lisa Mm Bach - Copy Editor
Sharon Kuan-Ad Manager Kenny Low - Business Manager
Ron Hosman - Asst. Photo Editor        Rob Evans - News Production
JeifMaricarian-Assl. Bus. Manager Richard McCue- Staff Artist
4       Susie Tombs - Ad Production Manager
I RandyGuerra- La Voz Editor
Kelly Surratt-Freedom and Unity Editor
• Yvonne MkKktsian-HyeSharzhoom Editor
Staff Writers- Tracy Correa. Eric Ptattner, Maryann MUligan.
T. James .Madison. Chris Aguiilar. Joseph Wang. Elizabeth
Coleman
Sports Witters - Kendall Kerr. Lee Passmore. Jim Proulx. Mke Wise
Photographers - AkemlM'tyama. Tony Olmos
Advertising Reps- Tony Martin. JeffBauman.KeiSt. George
Circulation- Ken Tyndal h
Distribution - Vicky Stevenson
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Censor called
to question
If this newspaper
telling vou  teen-age  sex or
smokine pot is *fun,M CSUF is within Ha. legal dou
runs  an  article  „
CSUF is within its. legal bounds to censor any
materia! that gets printed or shut the newspaper down.
And up until just recently, the Collegian, and any other college
newspaper for that matter, was prevented from endorsing any
political candidates even though almost every person attending this
campus is of legal voting age. '^T*
On May 1, 1987, Title IV of the California Eddcation Code, which
prevented college newspapers from endorsing political candidates,
was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. \T
This ruling provided an oft-produced. Victory for college
newspapers which continually battle against a multitude of barriers
in their quest for freedom of thepress. \
The latest barrier erected has arisen from a school case in 1983
when a high school principal ordered that a series of articles on teen¬
age pregnancy be deleted from the school paper. The students' sued
and an appeals court fueled in their favor, concluding that the
articles were neither libelous nor "disruptive." ~>^
Last month, the case came before the high court where school
attorneys argued that administrators should have absolute authority
over the content ofthe paper. They feel thatvsinceit was pairlfor by the
school and was "part of the curriculum* ISn^wnich students are
graded, it is appropriate for school rather than student control.
The students argue that the paper was set up as a voice for the
students, plus each issue carried a disclaimer saying that the
articles did not represent official school positions.
While this particular legal issue involves a high school
newspaper, this case is significant because-despite scores of clashes
over the years between student editors'and him school and college
adminstrators-the high court has never ruled on whether the
institutions can legally censor material in sponsored newspapers.
This decision will not only have an immediate impact on college
newspapers, it will also have far-reaching effects on the journalism
profession as a whole.
The detriment to college newspapers is obvious—they will be
prohibited from printing anything considered questionable by the
administration..Students will nojonger be able to decide if they tfant
to patronize a newspaper for its contents or ignore it because it is
offensive.
► The bureaucracy that is prevalent on every campus will make the
newspaper into a glorified department newsletter that contains .only
* those items that it, in its position over students, wants printed. V
While this is rod enough, the degeneration of journalism is the
more sinister result College newspapers, and even high school
newspapers to an extent, are the training ground for tomorrows
professional journalists.
Being tola what you can write and print in your newspaper by a
source which is often the subject of your coverage can lead to many
complications.   Dealing with   this  type   of environment  does  not.
translate into the real world of Journalism(Even though government *
has been trying to achieve this same position for a long time)-'
The frustration and lack of concrete information this kind of
' situation would implant in aspiring journalists would impair the
main objective that journalism seeks: informing the public of events
that shape and influence their lives. "*V>
It is only through a gradual erosion of freedom of press privileges
that government can achieve its goal. An outright takeover of tne
press would Bring an immediate and unacceptable response from the
public who could not help but notice such a violation of constitutional
rights.
Only by chipping away at the press' access and its freedom to
disseminate information, can government tip the balance of control
in its favor. . y
A ruling is expected by June. »
Reader
Response
to The Doily Collegian is welcome.
Please send letters of no more than
250 words to The Dairy Collegian.
Keats Campus Building. California
State university, Fresno, Fresno. Cali¬
fornia 93740-0042. Letters must be
signed and have the author's name,
telephone number and address.
Sarcastic letter
DearEditor,
I read Mr. Prigmore's letter Thursday -
with complete amazement. He dissected
Brian Bianchini's sarcastic diatribe
against the offensive letters printed in
this paper, yet he did not seem to un¬
derstand that it was a joke.
He has to be one of the more dense
people whose work Tve read here.
Prigmore spends 11 paragraphs blath¬
ering about my roommate's letter, tak¬
ing every jokingly exaggerated com¬
ment completely serious. Incredible.
But then I reached the end of his
letter, and read his name. Prigmore
must be a pseudonym (a word I can
neither pronounce nor spell). I looked up
prig ahd it is defined as: over-precise,
smug or narrow-minded person.
Hard to imagine a more prig-like
example of letter writing than Mr.
Prigmore's, so I have to conclude that he
is in on the joke, is using a fake name,
and that in some way his letter is even
more sarcastic than Brian's.
Here's to even more sarcastic letters
in the Collegian.
Paul Worthington
Why the Lane?
DearEditor,
^y would anyone WANT to live at
Bulldog Lane Apartments? It seems to
me that the rent cost, the rules and
regulation, the horrific parking, snoop¬
ing managers and let us not forget the
"stripper" and rapist would all outweigh
any benefit of living there.
Rent is $420 for a furnished two
bedroom—or rather cell room. That's
$210 per inmate!  ,
Parking   used    to    be    over    $30.
Management quit that little practice
See LETTERS, page 5
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