If you have ever been stopped at Washburn while walking to class by a stranger with a notebook and phone asking you some seriously random question, followed by them asking to take your picture or record you, then you have encountered Student Media. If you have ever been attending a meeting, an event, a game, whatever it may be, and a stranger approaches you asking if you have a second for some questions then you have encountered Student Media. What does this mean?
Student Media is a student-led organization that publishes campus news media, like the newsletter and magazine. Reporters who work there are typical college students who attend classes, join clubs and probably work another part-time job. Not everyone involved in Student Media has the same major either— everyone is welcome. Why should you care? Because our duty is to report accurate and truthful news that, as our slogan says, matters to WU.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression summarizes it like this: “Student publications play a vital role in informing students about events and occurrences on campus, exposing wrongdoing, holding leadership accountable, and informing the larger community about relevant events.”
We are here because we care and because we want to be. We have an obligation to you and to our campus to not only inform you about sports or fun events but to ensure our administration and our leaders are being held accountable. The same way our regular press is supposed to work for us with the government. Freedom of the press is a major part of democracy and is protected by my favorite thing as an American, the First Amendment.
The First Amendment gives us freedom of speech, religion, press, the right to assemble and petition. I would consider these “The Big Five,” because those are the fundamental elements in our everyday life.
Student Media can be powerful if students allow it. When Washburn has something controversial happening, students need to be able to understand how it affects them and have a place to voice an opinion on the event or issue under discussion. Students then have the option to form protests, talk to the administration, or even write us a letter that we would publish to address this. As the story continues to unfold, our team will be right there covering the facts.
Because we have this “risky” place as a regular student and “watchdog,” student journalists are protected by the First Amendment as freedom of the press. According to FIRE, the only situation where this can be tricky is on private campuses, but their treatment should align with university policy and they usually show commitment to freedom of speech, thus freedom of the press.
The Student Press Law Center also tells us that even if the funding comes from student government or school officials, they are unable to censor the paper. With the help of a few Supreme Court cases, preventing censorship also prohibits anyone from confiscating publications, limiting circulation, withdrawing funding and more. Thanks, Supreme Court!
Student Media employees and most journalists chose this career because they love protecting democracy, storytelling and the truth. Recently, I keep being told that to make it as a journalist, you have to really want it and fight hard for it. I say this because I want to show that being a journalist is challenging. People in this field chase it for whatever their reason may be, but that reason almost certainly comes from this feeling of duty to the public, which is you.
I hope the next time someone asks you for an interview you are left feeling excited and search for the article to share with your friends. We are so lucky to live in this country that allows free speech. You are allowed to share your opinion openly and proudly.
That being said, I encourage you to look into Student Press Freedom Day. SPFD takes place on Feb. 27, 2025, and the website offers multiple ways that you can show your support.
Student publications are important because you pay thousands of dollars to be here, you deserve to know what is going on around you. I will always advocate for truth and journalism. We don’t have any secret agendas or angles at play, we are here because we have a duty to you, to WU.
Edited by Stuti Khadka, Morgan Albrecht, Jeremy Ford
