Univ. of Memphis newspaper gets funds restored
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The University of Memphis is restoring full funding to its student newspaper after an internal review found the newspaper’s content may have been a factor in its funding being cut.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that university President Shirley Raines ordered the review after staff members at the Daily Helmsman criticized the budget committee’s recommendation to cut funding as a violation of the First Amendment.
Raines said in a statement Aug. 31 that interviews with members of the Student Fee Allocation Fund Committee had found that members had discussed the newspaper’s content, leading to the appearance that it may have been a factor in the recommendation. The committee had advised that funding be cut from $75,000 to $50,000.
The newspaper’s faculty adviser, Candy Justice, says she’s proud the university did the right thing.
The Student Press Law Center previously reported that Daily Helmsman Editor-in-Chief Chelsea Boozer and other editors said several committee members had told them that the cuts were made owing to increasing dissatisfaction with what the newspaper was publishing.
“In one meeting with Boozer, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Stephen Petersen summarized some of the committee’s complaints,” SPLC reported July 30.
“’I can’t begin to tell you the examples [of articles in the newspaper] that came up … that seem to have very little relevance or that seemed to touch very, very few students on the campus,’ he said, according to a recording of the meeting provided by Boozer.”
The First Amendment Center is an educational organization and cannot provide legal advice.
Ken Paulson is president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and in Washington, D.C. Previously, Paulson served as the editor and senior vice president/news of USA Today.
Gene Policinski, senior vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center and president and chief operating officer of the Diversity Institute, is a veteran journalist whose career has included work in newspapers, radio, television and online.
John Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center in 1991 with the mission of creating national discussion, dialogue and debate about First Amendment rights and values.
Dr. Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum. He writes and speaks extensively on religious liberty and religion in American public life.
David L. Hudson Jr. is an expert in First Amendment issues who writes for firstamendmentcenter.org and for other publications. Hudson teaches law and was a scholar at the First Amendment Center.
Tiffany Villager is director/First Amendment studies at the First Amendment Center, which she joined in 1993. She also served as the center’s research manager and research coordinator, and developed the center’s library.
