The University’s administration is prohibiting the journalists at FAMU from exercising their talents.
How can they expect us to grow in our fields if they will not cooperate with us?
The Famuan strives to report the news in an objective manner. We pride ourselves in being the best HBCU newspaper, and one of the best overall collegiate newspapers in the country. We will not let the administration stop us from reporting important information to the student body.
The administration recently denied The Famuan admittance to a meeting discussing student activities. The student body has a right to know what occurred in that meeting.
According to the Sunshine Law, “the law is applicable to any gathering , whether formal or casual, of two or more members of the same board or commission to discuss some matter on which foreseeable action will be taken by the public board or commission.”
Let me break this down for people who do not know. The law permits the public to attend meetings of boards or commissions.
You cannot deny a public agency admission to a meeting of a board or commission in which two or more members of the same board meet.
I would like to say that the University is once again hindering its students from staying abreast of the state of the University. They are more cooperative with the Tallahassee Democrat than their own campus newspaper.
We will not be pushed around. We have been the voice of Florida A&M University for 105 years, and we will report on the good, the bad, and the ugly situations that this University goes through.
If our student body president and vice-president feel that it is necessary to be in attendance at a University meeting, then you better believe The Famuan thinks it is important for the student body to know.
With all this said, I hope that the University will consider the fact that The Famuan is cultivating future reporters, and we strive for excellence in our reporting.
In order to continue to provide the student body with accurate information, the University administration needs to aide The Famuan in its reporting efforts.
I think that the administration stops The Famuan from attending meetings and denies comment on other stories we try to report because they are tired of the negative attention that FAMU is receiving.
However, the University should also remember that the press cannot report negative issues involving the University and the University officials if there are no negative issues to report.
Since the state of FAMU is not at its best, we are bound by our journalistic principles to report all news, and will not censor or be censored by the University’s lack of cooperation.
Crystal Mitchell is a senior graphic communication student from Jacksonville. She is the deputy opinions editor for The Famuan. Contact her at Famuanopinions@hotmail.com