A lawyer from the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press is calling for a meeting between Indiana Daily Student editors and the IU administration. Kristopher L. Cundiff sent a letter Monday asking for a get-together “to discuss a path forward that will restore our clients’ editorial independence.”
The IU Media School fired its student media director and canceled future print publication of the IDS last week.
Read more: Lawyer for press group accuses IU of violating students' rights in sharply worded letter
Former Student Media Director Jim Rodenbush said he was fired because he wouldn't prevent students from publishing news in its print, themed editions. IU administrators cancelled last week’s homecoming edition after IDS staff didn’t take news content out of the paper.
Now, the college paper’s co-editors in-chief Mia Hilkowitz and Andrew Miller are working with Cundiff to try to remedy the situation.
WFIU/WTIU spoke with Cundiff about the letter and next steps for the IDS.
The following conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
WFIU: When did you first start speaking with the IDS editors about editorial independence at the paper?
Cundiff: We had been in contact prior to this. I would say this issue has been on the radar since summer. But, the last two weeks, it's obviously been more at the forefront, because so much has happened.
WFIU: The letter to IU’s administration referenced the IU Student Media Charter, which states that “student media operating under its provisions are declared limited public forums where final content decisions and responsibility rest with duly appointed student editors and managers.” You say IU is in violation of this charter.
Cundiff: IU is bound by the First Amendment, and that precludes the government from engaging in viewpoint or content discrimination or retaliation for engaging in protected speech. The university is also bound by the charter for independent student media, which was first approved in 1969, and most recently amended in 2005. What's important about that is, not only do we have the First Amendment issue. But also, the IU Student Media Charter states that student media operating under the provisions of the charter are declared limited public forums, and final content decisions and responsibility rest with the duly appointed student editors and managers. As a result of that, the school can't decide what does and doesn't go in the publication.”
WFIU News: What do the IDS editors hope to accomplish? And have you heard a response from IU?
Cundiff: We have not heard back from Indiana University in response to the letter, nothing formal. We are taking this one step at a time. We are hoping that IU will accept the invitation to come to the table to discuss a path forward that will restore, in our view, our client’s editorial independence.
WFIU/WTIU News contacted Indiana University for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.
