The FUSA Senate has drafted a letter to Father Kelley that accuses this newspaper of shoddy standards, “threatening” reporting techniques, and the printing of “false information.” We at The Mirror, however, beg to differ.
What has happened is frightening. The FUSA Senate has apparently decided to carry this out because of critical attention to two student groups, The Ham Channel and FUSA.
The Mirror firmly believes that Howie Day was a poor concert choice. To deny this is ridiculous, because Day was one of their lowest ranking choices.
The Mirror also stands by our editorial cartoon about The Ham Channel. After the publication of the cartoon, The Ham Channel ditched programming about movies and the Oscars in favor of shows covering Hunger Clean Up, the Rock and Jock charity event, and the war in Iraq, which we applaud. Such a drastic change in subject matter demonstrates the very point our cartoon wished to illuminate.
What should be terrifying to faculty is that two high-ranking Fairfield administrators allegedly told two students that they, the administrators, were “waiting for a reason” to question the actions of The Mirror’s advisor. This apparent brazen manipulation of our student government should not stand, and we at The Mirror hope other faculty and students are as shocked about this as we are.
It is our job – and the job of journalists everywhere – to keep a watchful eye on the public domain, be it our elected officials or a television network accessible to every student. To say that we mock other clubs shows an ignorance of the stories this newspaper prints. Last week alone, The Mirror covered the Dance Ensemble, the Fight Against Discrimination, the Teach-In and Starving Artists.
The senate voted on this without hearing the input of any member of The Mirror. In response to Vice President of Senate Casey Butterly’s request that The Mirror be spoken to, the sponsor of the bill remarked in an e-mail, “I don’t personally want to but I think it might be smart, just to cover our ass.” The Mirror was not given the chance to speak to the senate before the vote.
Butterly spoke with two Mirror staffers this past Tuesday evening. We asked Butterly what accomplishments the Senate has made during this academic year that would have had a tangible benefit for the students of Fairfield whom they represent. After much discussion, we were shocked to discover that the Senate can only claim one victory: the peer advising program that occurs twice a year. Other efforts have either failed or are still being worked on, despite the rapidly approaching end of the school year. Perhaps the Senate has better things to do then go after the most self-sufficient and successful club on campus.
This year attendance at every Thursday night meeting of The Mirror reached standing room only. The amount of ads we have placed this year has increased a dramatic 63 percent. The Mirror has never looked better, and our news writing soars above and beyond comparable papers. We do this, week in and week out, on our own. Earlier this academic year, the Communications Club surveyed the student body on their opinion of The Mirror. 93.6% of the respondents said the quality compared to the past was “good” or “very good.”
Amazingly, FUSA senators seem to have been overlooked in that poll.
The editorial represents the opinion of the majority of The Mirror Editorial Board. What is your opinion? Click on the “Letter Submission” link in the left menu to send us your thoughts.
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