Student media freedom of press concerns over Plymouth Uni editor
The former editor of Plymouth University’s student newspaper has spoken of her shock when she was threatened with expulsion after publishing a story uncovering planned cuts to student services.
Katie French, who at the time was editor of The Knowledge, revealed plans to cut a disabled students’ support scheme by £260,000. She also published a story unearthing alleged overspending by the university.
The former student journalist spoke of attempts to silence her by senior figures in the University of Plymouth Students’ Union (UPSU).
Ms French said: “I started putting up some articles that got their backs up; I was trying to stick up for students and I was being suppressed and fobbed off.”
In an email sent to her by a vice-president of USPU, it was outlined that she would face “Stage 3 dismissal from university or suspension”.
“I panicked and burst into tears,” Ms French recalls. “I felt very isolated but at the same time I knew we were doing the right thing. At the end of the day I was just trying to report on things that students have the right to know about.”
In April, Ms French was told of a universities conference in the USA on which the university allegedly spent £24,000 sending six senior officials to. When she attempted to investigate the story further, Ms French was told by UPSU that this was a lie.
Six months later a local paper reported the story.
Ms French explained: “I had a meeting with [one of the university’s communications staff]. She said she didn’t want us to pursue stories that portrayed the university in a bad light.
“She also said that if I’d played ball earlier in the year there would have been an opportunity for me to go to Miami with them. That was just insulting.”
Selina Sykes, a former news reporter for the Boar who is now studying a Journalism MA at Kingston University, added: “I think editorial independence in student media is really important. The university should be held to account if there is good reason to.
“Considering the amount students are paying these days I think we should be more than entitled to express opinion and inform the student body about university issues. The fact that the girl has been threatened with expulsion is disgraceful.”
A spokeswoman for UPSU said: “UPSU can confirm it has received a complaint from a former student relating to the handling of a society issue around six months ago.
“UPSU takes all complaints seriously and will therefore fully investigate this matter in a sensitive and confidential manner out of respect of duty of care to both complainant and those she has made the complaint about for whom this is also distressing for.”
EDITOR’S NOTE
Editor-in-chief
Any journalist – student or professional – values freedom of speech at the very highest level. Any journalist – student or professional – has the right to freedom of speech and freedom to report the truth.
Katie French has spoken about “doing the right thing”, despite threats from her University to exercise “Stage 3 dismissal” against her, for reporting “stories that portrayed the university in a bad light”.
Despite the threats, Ms French stuck by her reporting, which was, above all, shedding a much-needed spotlight on issues that badly affected the welfare of disabled students.
Here at the Boar, we maintain a happy and relationship with both the Union and the University, who respect our freedom of press. At Plymouth, the student journalists are not so lucky.
The Boar stand in solidarity with Ms French and her struggle against the blackmail levelled at her by her university.
Her stories have been working to bring greater welfare to her fellow students, and her work to do this will not be ignored by the wider student journalism community.
No journalist should be threatened for reporting the truth.
Comments