Spring Break
Committee meets to discuss Collegian's future
Erik Myers
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: News
Students, faculty and community members gathered in D.C. Bottoms of the Durrell Center Thursday night to launch the "advisory group" charged with deciding the further of the Collegian and Student Media.
The committee, chaired by vice president of student affairs Blanche Hughes, had been named earlier this week. The committee, composed of 14 members, including Hughes; Anne Hudgens, executive director of campus life ; journalism department faculty; student leaders with the Associated Students of CSU; and representatives from all four Student Media.
The committee comes after university administration came under fire earlier this semester when the Collegian discovered that Penley quietly arranged a closed-door discussion with Christine Chin and Bob Moore, the respective publisher and executive editor of Gannett-owned publication The Fort Collins Coloradoan. Katie Gleeson, president of ASCSU, acted as a student representative in the discussion, but members of Student Media went unaware until the first day of the semester, when the discussion took place.
Thursday's discussion established agenda and purpose for the group, Hughes said, but also revealed a timeline for proposals, which included a March 31 deadline.
Outside of The Gannett Co., which approached CSU President Larry Penley in November, expressing interest in acquiring the Collegian as a for-profit entity, several outside entities contacted the university with non-specific inquiries.
Student Media leaders also plan to submit a proposal of their own.
In the upcoming weeks, the committee will examine structures of student newspapers from across the nation and will designate their criteria for future proposals, as well as a process for proposal evaluation.
Two meetings, in which criteria and evaluation for proposals will be discussed, will be closed to the public. Hughes said that the closed-door meetings would allow committee members to voice their concerns and ideas freely, while maintaining a fair process for all interested parties.
The committee, chaired by vice president of student affairs Blanche Hughes, had been named earlier this week. The committee, composed of 14 members, including Hughes; Anne Hudgens, executive director of campus life ; journalism department faculty; student leaders with the Associated Students of CSU; and representatives from all four Student Media.
The committee comes after university administration came under fire earlier this semester when the Collegian discovered that Penley quietly arranged a closed-door discussion with Christine Chin and Bob Moore, the respective publisher and executive editor of Gannett-owned publication The Fort Collins Coloradoan. Katie Gleeson, president of ASCSU, acted as a student representative in the discussion, but members of Student Media went unaware until the first day of the semester, when the discussion took place.
Thursday's discussion established agenda and purpose for the group, Hughes said, but also revealed a timeline for proposals, which included a March 31 deadline.
Outside of The Gannett Co., which approached CSU President Larry Penley in November, expressing interest in acquiring the Collegian as a for-profit entity, several outside entities contacted the university with non-specific inquiries.
Student Media leaders also plan to submit a proposal of their own.
In the upcoming weeks, the committee will examine structures of student newspapers from across the nation and will designate their criteria for future proposals, as well as a process for proposal evaluation.
Two meetings, in which criteria and evaluation for proposals will be discussed, will be closed to the public. Hughes said that the closed-door meetings would allow committee members to voice their concerns and ideas freely, while maintaining a fair process for all interested parties.
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