www.coloradoan.com
Printed profanity draws Collegian complaints
BY TREVOR HUGHES
A four-word editorial published in the student newspaper at Colorado State University has landed the paper’s student managers in hot water with campus administrators.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian on Friday published an editorial that reads, in total, “Taser this… F— BUSH,” spelling out the expletive, along with an explanation that “this column represents the views of the Collegian’s editorial board.”
The second two words of the editorial are printed in extremely large print, about twice the size of a headline.
While the Collegian is editorially independent, CSU retains a measure of control though a 10-member faculty-student Board of Student Communications, which can fire the paper’s editor-in-chief, David McSwane.
In a letter addressed to the university community and Collegian readers, Jeff Browne, director of student media, said he is planning to launch an internal investigation into “the decision-making process” followed in publishing the editorial.
Noting that the paper has First Amendment rights to publish “what they see fit,” Browne continued, “We do not support the specific editorial statement on page 4 of today’s Collegian. We find it unnecessary and unbefitting the proud 116-year tradition of the Collegian.”
Browne also wrote that readers and CSU community members who want to complain should contact him. The Board of Student Communications meets next on Oct. 10, and complaints will likely be heard then, if not before, he said. The board comprises seven students and three faculty members.
McSwane earned international attention when, as a high school senior, he pretended to be a high school dropout wanting to enlist in the military. McSwane, who at the time was 17, recorded video of a recruiter saying he would get help to cover up a supposed drug problem, and acquire him a fake high school diploma.
McSwane on Friday morning said he had not yet seen a copy of Browne’s letter and was not prepared to comment but ex-pected to comment later today.
(Original Article)