CNU to keep student paper

By: Daily Press | Times-Dispatch
Published: June 12, 2011

NEWPORT NEWS --

Christopher Newport University released a statement last week saying it will not suspend funding for the print edition of The Captain's Log beginning fall 2012.

The statement followed reports in which student journalists said they believe CNU's administration wanted to do away with the print edition because of investigative stories published this year that administrators were unhappy with.

The statement, issued by CNU spokeswoman Lori Jacobs, said the reason behind defunding a print edition has been misconstrued.

"The allegations regarding the motives of the CNU administration to eliminate funding to support the print version of The Captain's Log are without merit and seek only to cause harm and impugn the reputation of CNU," she said. "The discussion with The Captain's Log to embrace 21st century technology, consistent with the CNU 'Go Green' initiative, has been misunderstood and misconstrued as an attack on First Amendment rights.

"Therefore, there will be no further discussion about discontinuing print funding, and The Captain's Log will have the funding to continue its print edition. The Captain's Log has the constitutional right to publish whatever it sees fit. The administration has not — and will not — interfere with the content of the paper."

Administrators had informed staff last month that the weekly print edition might be cut in 2012-2013 as part of a campuswide "green" initiative.

The student newspaper staff and CNU's Student Media Board feared the proposal was based on the administration's dislike of articles published over the past year, said Terry Lee, faculty adviser of the paper for 17 years.

Lee said that in February, CNU Provost Mark Padilla told him the administration views the paper's editors as "scandal mongers," considers the paper distasteful and unethical, and that its news stories have had a negative effect on recruiting faculty.

Captain's Log editor Emily Cole, a rising senior and Daily Press intern, said administrators have not cited any specific articles that upset them.

"We publish what's newsworthy," she said, "such as if it's harder to get a job after graduating from CNU compared to a bigger school; about a fraternity suspended from campus; about the admissions' office accidently sending acceptance emails to 2,000 students not necessarily accepted."