Journalism students, faculty and staff broke into applause on Wednesday, Nov. 9, after the Student Senate unanimously vetoed a resolution regarding Western publications. The vote was 0-9, with two senators abstaining.
The resolution, introduced by Student Senate Chair Kendall Bull, would have allowed students and alumni the removal or minor alterations to Western publication archives in cases where damage to professional reputation could be shown.
Jennifer Karchmer, a senior instructor in Western's communication department and the Washington State Bureau Correspondent for Reporters Without Borders, spoke briefly before the vote. She addressed several concerns, including the level of accountability in a university setting versus within a community. She said her students are often held to a higher level of responsibility.
“[Western students] work with real people in the real community with real issues such as homelessness, healthcare, crimes, domestic violence,” Karchmer said. “This is real work that real students are doing.”
Karchmer also said it is a source's responsibility to leave any situation that could cause conflict.
Senator Christopher Brown expressed his own concern about the legitimacy of the resolution. There’s no way for anyone, whether adult or student, to remove things from Facebook, Twitter, or other online archives, he said.
Senator Jered McCardle also questioned the authority and legality of the resolution.
“Even if we do pass this resolution today, we have no power over it, we can’t enforce it,” he said. “We also don’t want to be seen as trying to limit free speech and freedom of the press.”
The Student Senate advises the AS Board of Directors, but the board does not govern Western’s publications. According to the Student Publications Charter, the board of trustees has the legal right and duty to govern any action of student publications, and the board may delegate these responsibilities to the Student Publications Council.
Peggy Watt, the chair of the Student Publications Council, said she was pleased with the vote.
“I’m glad the AS Senate didn’t try to override the First Amendment and realizes that it was not a well thought-out resolution,” Watt said. “And what I hope, because we went there and explained the process and explained that there was a Student Publications Council, is that it will create an open dialogue and ongoing communication between the two.”
Related articles:
- Student Senators, editors grapple over publication, removal policies
- Resolution would ask publications to censor content in online archives
