Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Education

Editorial still resonates as ruling nears on CSU editor

Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 4, 2007 at midnight

Text size  

More Education

More stories »

Colorado State University is still experiencing the fallout from a profane editorial that ran in the college's student newspaper two weeks ago.

CSU police investigated a threat that was called into The Rocky Mountain Collegian last week. Advertising in the newspaper and other student- run media organizations remains down. And at least one parent of a CSU student might withdraw her daughter from the school.

"It's true. We are reconsidering schools," said Casper resident Cathy Ide, whose daughter, Holly Loucks, is a sophomore construction management major.

The school's alumni relations and admissions offices have also received calls and e-mails concerning the editorial, but spokeswoman Dell Rae Moellenberg said it's too early to assess the overall impact.

The Collegian triggered an uproar when it published an editorial in its Sept. 21 edition that read: "Taser this . . . F--- Bush." The school's Board of Student Communications will decide today whether to fire the paper's editor-in-chief, J. David McSwane.

Jeff Browne, director of CSU student media, said last week that if all the advertisers who have threatened to pull their support follow through, the student media could lose $50,000. The Collegian's staff took a 10 percent pay cut as a result of the drop in advertising, but expenses might need to be trimmed further.

The Collegian published an article Friday detailing a threat that was called into the newsroom the previous day. The Collegian reported that the caller said the paper's editorial board "was in big trouble," and "should leave the campus."

At today's meeting, the board could decide to fire, suspend, reprimand or admonish McSwane, who rose to fame as a high school senior for a story he wrote about unethical military recruiting practices.

The board, which includes six students and three faculty members, may also dismiss the many complaints filed against the paper.