Last week, Ithaca College President Tom Rochon issued a new media policy that requires that student media outlets seeking interviews with college administrators must submit all interview requests through the Ithaca College Office of Media Relations. The policy encompasses 84 administrators, including school deans, student services faculty, financial and admissions personnel, and – of course – President Rochon.
President Rochon informed the staff of Buzzsaw magazine – as well as the staffs at The Ithacan, WICB, and ICTV – about the terms of the new policy last week, stressing that it was not designed as a roadblock to students’ access to the college administration.
However, the Buzzsaw editorial board, Buzzsaw staffers, and Buzzsaw alumni firmly reject the notion that the new media policy “will not be a hindrance to [our] pursuit of information.” In fact, the policy seems to be specifically designed to hinder student journalists from accessing administrators in a timely manner and relaying information about the college to the student body.
As current students and alumni committed to truth, transparency, and critical examination of our surroundings, this new policy flies in the face of everything we are taught to practice as journalists. We are taught to pursue stories of interest to our college, city, and alumni communities. We are taught to respectfully and thoroughly investigate stories by speaking with a wide and diverse array of sources. And we are taught to criticize unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and attempts at censorship when we see them.
That’s why we are formally declaring our support for the repeal of the new media policy, joining a chorus of voices who have spoken out against the policy – including the Student Government Association, The Ithacan, over 60 Ithaca College staff and faculty members, and hundreds of Ithaca College students and alumni.
College policies should exist to strengthen – not limit – the academic learning environment. We ask the administration to recognize the dangers of this policy, rescind it, and push our college toward the open, transparent community that we know it can and should be.
Signed,
The Buzzsaw Magazine Editorial Board
| Kacey Deamer Upfront Co-Editor Class of 2013 |
Catherine Fisher Sawdust Editor Class of 2013 |
Mariana Garces Sawdust Editor Class of 2013 |
| Rachael Lewis-Krisky Seesaw Co-Manager Class of 2014 |
David Lurvey Web Co-Editor Class of 2013 |
Gena Mangiaratti Co-Upfront Editor Class of 2013 |
| Meagan McGinnes News & Views Editor Class of 2014 |
Emily Miles Haircut Manager Class of 2013 |
Kayla Reopelle Seesaw Co-Manager Class of 2014 |
| Carly Sitzer Ministry of Cool Editor Class of 2013 |
Anika Steppe Art Editor Class of 2013 |
Francesca Toscano Social Media Manager Class of 2014 |
| Danielle West Layout Editor Class of 2013 |
Jenni Zellner Web Co-Editor Class of 2013 |
Ithaca College Faculty and Staff
| Jeff Cohen Director of Park Center for Independent Media Associate Professor of Journalism Buzzsaw Advisor |
Maura Stephens Associate Director of Park Center for Independent Media |
Buzzsaw Magazine Alumni
| Zachary Anderson Former Illustrator and Blogger Class of 2012 |
Bryan Cipolla Former Art Editor Class of 2010 |
Jocelyn Codner Former Ministry of Cool Editor Class of 2010 |
| Matt Corley Former News & Views Editor Class of 2006 |
Sam Costello Founding Member of Buzzsaw Haircut Class of 2000 |
Josh Elmer Former Layout Editor Class of 2009 |
| Alyssa Figueroa Former Upfront Editor Class of 2012 |
Sara Fitouri Former Contributor Class of 2012 |
Harrison Flatau Former Sawdust Editor Class of 2009 |
| Emily Gallagher Former Editor |
Chris Giblin Former Sawdust Editor Class of 2011 |
Briana Kerensky Former Upfront Editor Class of 2010 |
| Jennifer Konerman Former Layout Editor Class of 2010 |
Cassandra Leveille Former Contributor Class of 2011 |
Jeremy Levine Former Editor Class of 2006 |
| Meagan Murray Former Staffer Class of 2009 |
Adam Polaski Former Upfront Editor Class of 2012 |
Kate Sheppard Former Editor Class of 2006 |
| Jacquelyn Simone Former News & Views Editor Class of 2011 |
Julissa Treviño Former Upfront Editor Class of 2009 |
Carly Willsie Former Ministry of Cool Editor Class of 2010 |
Buzzsaw Staff
Pete Blanchard
Jessica Corbett
Lauren Denecke
Gerald Doherty
Walker Dowd-Whipple
Sara Fitouri
Marissa Framarini
Bethany George
Michael Holland
Rob Hummel
Anna Isachenko
Crystal Kayiza
Drew Kellogg
Cassandra Leveille
Karen Muller
Ryan Muller
Meagan Murray
Amy Obarski
Marc Phillips
Jennifer Pike
Kyle Robertson
Nick Ruck
Jessica Santos
Abby Sophir
Kristen Tomkowid
Benjamin Viagas
John Vogan
Vicky Wolak
Kristy Zhen
Chris Zivalich
If you would like to stand in support of this statement as a non-Buzzsaw affiliated student, staff member, alumni or community member we encourage you to comment below with your name and reasons for co-signing this call for repeal.
27 comments
Add me to the list.
Add me on as well. I think this decision is ridiculous. As journalists, we understand that it’s difficult to get in contact with a source, especially ones tied up in bureaucracy, but there’s no reason for the college’s administration to make our and their job more difficult by piling all of our requests onto another person who will then direct us to the proper source. If journalists do their job right — which you’d hope we would thanks to the Park School of Communications — they know who best to contact for an interview. Even if Rochon didn’t intend this to be a roadblock for Ithaca College journalists, I can’t see how this is anything but that.
Add me to the list! This is unreal. As if we don’t have enough trouble contacting sources as it is.
Add me to the list, please!
Standing in solidarity with Buzzsaw Magazine. Add me to the list!
Former Buzzsaw alum. Sources have their own free will to reject or accept an interview. This is a bureaucratic move. Please add me!
I stand with buzzsaw
This Alumna isn’t pleased! This needs to be repealed!
As a former Buzzsaw Contributor/all-around-non-fan of Rochon’s tramplings on transparency while I was a student at IC, I stand with Buzzsaw.
add me to the list as a contributing writer, class of ’12, please!
Add me, staff writer, class of ’12!
I stand with Buzzsaw on this! This is unreal for a college with such a strong communications program to implement something like this.
Add me to the list — one of the co-founders of Buzzsaw (Haircut).
Add me to this list, please!
This new media policy needs to be revoked!
Former Contributor
Class of 2014
Add me to the list please, thanks.
I absolutely stand with Buzzsaw and all others in the repeal of this absurd new Media Policy. Television and Radio alumni ’12
Buzzsaw Marketing Director 07-08. Definitely add me to the list–this is insulting that they would even think this would fly in a community like Ithaca.
Add me to the list! I write for Buzzsaw currently.
I stand alongside my fellow students at Ithaca College. This order MUST be repealed in the name of transparency and journalistic integrity. Please add my name to the list.
Mariah Gower, B.M.O. ’13.
I am so shocked by this. As a Writing major who graduated in 2012, I always felt that I had the freedom of speech while studying at Ithaca College and that made my learning experience so much more influential. I don’t think it’s fair at all to censor freedom of the press, and I would sign a repeal along with other former Buzzsaw staff.
Cat Nuwer ’12
Add, former contributor.
Bronwyn Bishop, current Buzzsaw writer. I detest bureaucratic moves like this. This is something my high school would have done, which, trust me, is not a compliment. Please add me to the list.
Add me to the list please! Thank you.
[…] a victory for freedom of the press, Ithaca College President Tom Rochon announced this week that a restrictive media policy implemented early last month has now been rescinded. The controversial policy had required all […]
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Buzzsaw Staff and Alumni Call for Repeal of Ithaca College?s New Media Policy | Buzzsaw Magazine
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Buzzsaw Staff and Alumni Call for Repeal of Ithaca College?s New Media Policy | Buzzsaw Magazine