Geoffroy
de Laforcade, faculty advisor recognized
by The INNOVATOR
February
16, 2001
I
had been the faculty advisor to the Governors State University (GSU) newspaper,
the INNOVATOR, for nearly a year when Jeni Porche and Margaret Hosty became
editor-in-chief and managing editor, respectively. I had submitted frequent
articles and columns to the paper, and worked hard with my colleagues to improve
the medium and encourage student interest in it. Neither my reliability and
commitment, nor my credentials as an educator and former professional
journalist, were ever called into question. Accordingly, when my contract came
up for renewal, the new editorial team entrusted me with their support, which
was ratified by the Student Communications Media Board (SCMB) and by the Dean of
Student Life, Patricia Carter.
Under
the leadership of the new editors, the INNOVATOR made great strides as a serious
newspaper and a voice for students' interests. It gained contributors and
readership, and was thoroughly reorganized thanks to the professionalism and
acute management skills of these students. I dedicated a lot of time to the
newspaper and watched it blossom into something better than it ever had been.
Aside from the talent and honesty of the editors, what struck me most was their
willingness to inform to the best of their abilities on issues of concern to the
entire campus community. They held the faculty, staff, and administration to the
very standards of excellence set forth in the university's regulations and
mission statement. Their goal was to create a durable, well-managed, and
reliable newspaper with something in it for all those involved with GSU.
The
students faced innumerable obstacles, ranging from frequent equipment failures
and a legacy of poor record-keeping to office break-ins and procedural
incoherence in the functioning of the SCMB. They worked hard to fix these
problems, held their writers to high standards and strict deadlines, and
produced a highly improved newspaper. As soon as they began reporting anomalies
and informing the public of student grievances, however, they faced obstruction
and intimidation, leading to outright harassment and culminating in the clear
pattern of prior constraint (and prior review) for which they are now demanding
redress.
As
their advisor, I witnessed these difficulties first-hand, and can attest to the
editors' truthfulness as well as to their commitment to the best interests of
this public institution of higher learning. They have
paid
a huge price, as students, for their integrity and service to the community.
I
have also been treated condescendingly by university president Stuart Fagan's
administration, which never once contacted me to discuss issues or controversies
pertaining to the newspaper, and which ignored my efforts to enter into a
dialogue with them whenever the editors ran into difficulties (caused in most
cases by the actions of the university against the newspaper). When Roger Oden,
the Dean of Arts and Sciences,
publicly defamed the newspaper and cited me by name as being untruthful, Fagan
and the new provost, Dr. Paul Keys, did not acknowledge my concern, nor did they
attempt to intervene in a constructive fashion. On the contrary, Fagan published
an open letter reiterating Oden's unsubstantiated condemnation of the
INNOVATOR's ethics, in which my professionalism as advisor was implicitly called
into question.
The university attorney, Alexis Kennedy, to whom I introduced myself
uninvited, contacted me only once to relay opinions voiced by a few students
regarding an aspect of editorial policy. In
this instance, she seemed to suggest that I convey to the editors the
administration’s anger at the paper’s reluctance to publish inflammatory
criticisms of the INNOVATOR. The editors had merely written to to the authors of the
letters suggesting that they amend libelous portions of their submissions prior
to publication. Thus, I either
received contact from the university’s attorney on behalf of students, whom
she does not represent, or Ms. Kennedy was attempting to interfere directly with
editorial decisions, in which I play no part.
At no other time did Fagan, Keys, or Carter address me as advisor or seek
me out to discuss matters pertaining to the newspaper. I have since been arbitrarily and improperly notified by Dean
Carter that my services are no longer needed at GSU. The editors and the SCMB were never informed of this highly
irregular executive decision until Donald Bell (the administrative liaison
appointed by Carter to the SCMB), who had made it a habit of scheduling and
canceling meetings at whim, finally became exasperated with my habit of
attending such meetings and had me expelled under the threat of the use of
force. As far as I am concerned,
the editors regard me as their advisor, and I continue to perform the work of
advisor. I will not step down until
the university admits to its improprieties, establishes procedural transparency,
and allows the paper to publish freely.
It
is no accident that the newspaper is prevented from appearing and playing its
role at a time when another accreditation scandal has compromised the future of
dozens of students in the Masters of Social Work program. The student editors
will be fully vindicated when GSU is forced to answer in court to its unethical
and illegal procedures against the INNOVATOR. As advisor, and as a former
full-time instructor at GSU, I hope and believe that my efforts in support of
the students' rights will ultimately prevail. I have witnessed persistent
hypocrisy and bad faith, reckless administration and moral corruption to a
degree that is absolutely unthinkable at a public university that prides itself
in being "student-oriented".
Contrary
to some of the more ill-intentioned claims made by the students' adversaries, at
no time have I attempted to use my position as advisor to discredit the programs
or administrators of GSU. On the contrary, I full expected, when I accepted the
position, to be recognized for contributing to the best of my abilities to the
sound functioning of the student media and to the quality of the learning
environment at GSU. Jeni Porche and Margaret Hosty have done their utmost to
perform their jobs well, and I am honored that they continue to entrust me with
the role of advisor to the INNOVATOR.