Dean Denies Censoring Newspaper
Sergio R. Bichao
Issue date: 10/10/05 Section: News
Essex County College officials continue to deny claims that they shut down the student newspaper because they did not want a controversial newspaper circulating on campus. Administrators also call allegations that they are trying to "intimidate" outspoken students and faculty "absurd."
Last week, the Observer reported claims made by Melinda Hernandez, the editor of the student newspaper at E.C.C., that administration shut down their newspaper this semester and didn't rehire a member of the faculty who agreed to be their advisor because officials did not like the content of the paper last year.
But Susan Mulligan, the dean of students, said the Essex County College Observer (ECCO) can't be published simply because it doesn't have a faculty advisor and says that this is not a censorship issue.
"I've never reviewed anything and I've never seen content before publishing. It's just not what I do," Mulligan said.
Mulligan added that "there's really nothing that controversial in that paper at all." She added that the newspaper's own constitution requires an advisor.
The most recent development in the case involving the ECCO is the appearance of color fliers with a picture and conviction record of former managing editor Joel Shofar being anonymously posted around campus.
The information on the flier is readily available on the Internet from the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
Shofar, who's identified on the fliers by his given name, Keith Blanchard Joyner, suspects the fliers were circulated by administration because only officials know his birth name. Shofar, 44, said he legally changed his name last year and all students know him as "Joel Shofar."
The Observer found a stack of these fliers left in an ECCO newspaper rack inside the E.C.C. student center.
E.C.C. police chief Anthony Cromartie said that his department will pull down the unsanctioned fliers if his officers spot them on campus, but added that the fliers contain legal information available on the Internet and that his department cannot "prevent somebody from posting it."
"I cannot arrest [people] for sharing information that's public," he said.
Mulligan said the idea of an administrator posting these fliers is "absurd."
"That is not something administration would do," she said.
As for Shofar's other allegation of intimidation - that his grades from last semester were reported "missing" by the registrar, thus making him ineligible to serve on the ECCO staff - Mulligan said that was "not true at all," but would not discuss any details citing confidentiality policies.
Hernandez said that Mulligan requested a meeting with her and the rest of ECCO's editorial for sometime this week.
Last week, the Observer reported claims made by Melinda Hernandez, the editor of the student newspaper at E.C.C., that administration shut down their newspaper this semester and didn't rehire a member of the faculty who agreed to be their advisor because officials did not like the content of the paper last year.
But Susan Mulligan, the dean of students, said the Essex County College Observer (ECCO) can't be published simply because it doesn't have a faculty advisor and says that this is not a censorship issue.
"I've never reviewed anything and I've never seen content before publishing. It's just not what I do," Mulligan said.
Mulligan added that "there's really nothing that controversial in that paper at all." She added that the newspaper's own constitution requires an advisor.
The most recent development in the case involving the ECCO is the appearance of color fliers with a picture and conviction record of former managing editor Joel Shofar being anonymously posted around campus.
The information on the flier is readily available on the Internet from the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
Shofar, who's identified on the fliers by his given name, Keith Blanchard Joyner, suspects the fliers were circulated by administration because only officials know his birth name. Shofar, 44, said he legally changed his name last year and all students know him as "Joel Shofar."
The Observer found a stack of these fliers left in an ECCO newspaper rack inside the E.C.C. student center.
E.C.C. police chief Anthony Cromartie said that his department will pull down the unsanctioned fliers if his officers spot them on campus, but added that the fliers contain legal information available on the Internet and that his department cannot "prevent somebody from posting it."
"I cannot arrest [people] for sharing information that's public," he said.
Mulligan said the idea of an administrator posting these fliers is "absurd."
"That is not something administration would do," she said.
As for Shofar's other allegation of intimidation - that his grades from last semester were reported "missing" by the registrar, thus making him ineligible to serve on the ECCO staff - Mulligan said that was "not true at all," but would not discuss any details citing confidentiality policies.
Hernandez said that Mulligan requested a meeting with her and the rest of ECCO's editorial for sometime this week.