Indiana University’s decision has ignited a firestorm of controversy over censorship and the rights of student journalists. This latest controversy comes after the university fired Jim Rodenbush, adviser to the Indiana Daily Student. The dismissal came just two days before the university was set to release the print edition in time for homecoming festivities. All the stars aligned for a spectacular reveal! Media School Dean David Tolchinsky informed Rodenbush that there would be no news stories allowed in the print editions. Each of these editions is being cut down from weekly publications to only seven special editions per semester.
Faced with tight budgets, university leaders made their decision to reduce the print footprint of the Indiana Daily Student permanent. The publication had been operating for several years on the equivalent of about $250,000 a year in subsidies from the Media School to offset shrinking advertising revenues. Even with all these hurdles, the Indiana Daily Student was able to release three print editions. These editions would include special event sections, but they would not have news articles covering events occurring on campus.
The controversy surrounding Rodenbush’s firing centers on his refusal to comply with directives that would have suppressed coverage of news stories during significant university events. In particular, he defied a directive to stop student news editors from publishing stories about the upcoming homecoming celebration.
“I had to make the decision that was going to allow me to live with myself.” – Jim Rodenbush
Dean Tolchinsky justified Rodenbush’s dismissal by stating, “Your lack of leadership and ability to work in alignment with the University’s direction for the Student Media Plan is unacceptable.” This statement highlights the university’s ongoing commitment to controlling and censoring the content created by its independent student media.
In an opinion column published the day after Rodenbush’s firing, Andrew Miller, co-editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student, claimed that Rodenbush’s actions were justified. He stated, “Jim did the right thing by refusing to censor our print edition,” reflecting a broader sentiment among student journalists regarding editorial independence.
The firing has sparked outrage and raised deeper issues of censorship and First Amendment rights for student media at public, taxpayer-funded universities. Mike Hiestand is the senior legal counsel for the Student Press Law Center. He argued that First Amendment case law has long upheld the power of student editors to determine what gets published. He remarked, “It’s open and shut, and it’s just so bizarre that this is coming out of Indiana University.”
The Indiana Daily Student has a history of publishing hard-hitting stories online, including coverage of a film critical of arrests made during pro-Palestinian demonstrations and investigations into campus sexual assaults. It scathingly chronicled an FBI raid on the home of a former fraud professor accused of misusing federal money. Taken together, these topics are a perfect example of the publication’s dedication to acting as a watchdog on behalf of the entire university community.
In response to the vandalism, Chancellor David Reingold released a statement confirming the university’s commitment to protecting and encouraging student media. He emphasized that Indiana University remains “firmly committed to the free expression and editorial independence of student media.” This statement is made at a time of increasing alarm over what most consider to be a purposeful act of censorship by the university administration.
Specifically, NEIFP executive director Andrew Miller called Rodenbush’s firing a “deliberate scare tactic” meant to intimidate journalists and faculty alike. This issue is much bigger than the firing of one individual. It ignites a much-needed conversation about the relevance of journalism within our schools today and the protections afforded to student journalists, which is crucial at this time.
Indiana University now faces an even more existential crisis. It is now under intense scrutiny from its own student body and legal scholars, as well as advocates for press freedom. The university’s recent decisions couldn’t be further from this academic institution’s cherished legacy. That’s particularly impressive considering it’s as the Hoosiers football team climbs to its highest-ever national ranking.
>
