Editor's fate in the hands of CSU panel

McSwane defends profanity as crowd jams meeting room

Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, September 27, 2007

FORT COLLINS - For some, it was a matter of protecting free speech.

For others, it was about punishing the editor of a campus newspaper, who they believed damaged the credibility of Colorado State University nationally when he decided to publish the F-word in the school newspaper.

"Our university will take a hit for the poor choices of one student," said Chelsea Penoyer, chairwoman of the College Republicans at CSU.

Penoyer was one of more than 300 students and members of the staff and community who attended a hearing Wednesday night of CSU's Board of Student Communications, the governing body that will decide whether to fire The Rocky Mountain Collegian's editor, J. David McSwane, for his approval of an editorial that used profanity.

The editorial, which ran in Friday's edition of the paper, simply read: "Taser This . . . F--- Bush." It has sparked a national firestorm and debate about what kind of material deserves First Amendment protection.

Detractors and supporters

The board, which consists of six students and three faculty members, did not decide the junior journalism major's fate. Instead, it heard comments from nearly 30 people - McSwane detractors as well as supporters - and questioned McSwane about his decision-making process.

McSwane said the decision to run the editorial was made after two to three hours of debate. He didn't inform the paper's faculty adviser about the editorial because he said he didn't want to place that individual in the position of having to defend the editorial's content.

The board questioned -McSwane for about 10 minutes before giving time for people to comment on the issue. McSwane said that while he wouldn't publish a letter to the editor containing the F-word, he thought it was justified in the editorial because it was an opinion piece.

While board bylaws seem to ban the use of profanity in publications, McSwane said he thought the use of the word in the paper was protected by the U.S. Constitution.

'Very vocal minority'

In a final statement to the board, McSwane said "our point has been made, judging by the attendance here. People are talking about free speech. Most of the complaints we're hearing are from nonstudents and a very vocal minority."

McSwane said he and his staff also discussed the potential fallout that could result from the editorial, but he didn't "think it would be as bad as it is."

Jeff Browne, director of student media, said that if all of the advertisers who threatened to pull their business do, the school could lose $50,000 of advertising. The newspaper's staff has taken a 10 percent pay cut because of lost revenue.

Many of those calling for -McSwane's firing Wednesday night focused on the financial damage caused by the editorial.

"I could potentially see this trend leading us into destruction well into six figures," said Lenay Snyder, who oversees advertising for CSU's student media.

Protected speech?

One student said a friend who worked in the alumni association is having trouble garnering pledges because of CSU graduates are so upset at the paper's action.

Ed Haynes, however, protested the editorial because he said it crossed taste boundaries and was as offensive as using a racial slur. "What if I said, Taser This . . . Obama is a n-----," Haynes said to loud boos.

Journalism instructor Pam Jackson said the use of the F-word in the school newspaper was no different from anti-abortion groups using shocking images in their protests. Both, Jackson said, are protected forms of free speech.

What's next

• The board will meet this morning to decide whether the roughly 300 e-mails and a dozen letters it received complaining about the editorial have merit. If it decides they do, the board could hold an informal hearing to impose a minor punishment for McSwane or hold a formal hearing that could lead to the editor's dismissal or suspension.

• Legal advice: McSwane posted a message on The Collegian Web site Wednesday denying a TV news report he may be suing CSU. He did say, however, that he is meeting later with Denver lawyer David Lane, known for representing fired University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill.