Criticism and an Offer of Help

Posted by Dennis G. Jerz on June 18, 2008 9:25 AM | | Comments (0) ~
Inside Higher Ed raises an interesting question. If a student paper learns that sensitive information in an unprotected computer file, and then writes a story about it, how should the administration react after learning the paper still has a copy of that protected information? Here's what happened at Western Oregon University:

In a letter sent to university officials late last week, the College Media Advisers Board of Directors condemned the university's response to a student newspaper article published in September. The story revealed that sensitive information about student applicants, including their Social Security numbers and grade point averages, had been left unprotected from public view.

In response to the article, university officials rifled through the newsroom in search of a copy of the computer file containing the sensitive student information. The paper's adviser also lost her job amid the furor, and a student was disciplined for copying the file and violating university policies designed to protect private information.

The board, which represents student newspaper advisers, denounced the university's "lack of understanding of basic journalism principles and ethics." But in detailing its dissatisfaction with the university's actions, the board also offered help.

The university punished the student reporter for making a copy of the file that the university was responsible for protecting, which sounds like shooting the messenger. Was it necessary to copy the entire file in order to write the story?  Hm... I might have taken a few screenshots -- just enough to back up the story. The interim adviser blames the fired adviser:
"Her firing was entirely justified," said Yehnert, an English professor. "She was a terrible media adviser all the way around."


Categories: Academia , Ethics , Journalism , Media

Leave a comment


Type the characters you see in the picture above.

Search

Recent Related Entries

New AP Stylebook Cuts the 'Malarkey,' Brings in the 'WMD'
Editor and Publisher:The newest version of the Associated Press Stylebook is available, and if you follow it, "WMD," "iPhone" and "anti-virus" are in, while "barmaid," "blue blood" and "malarkey" are out. Those are just some of the changes to its...

Wikipedia Updater Fired For Scooping NBC on Tim Russert's Death
This one makes the o'l head spin... here's the background. NBC journalist Tim Russert dies at work; NBC holds off on reporting the news until the family can be notified.  Someone who works for the company that supplies internet access...

Papers Facing Worst Year for Ad Revenue
NYT: For newspapers, the news has swiftly gone from bad to worse. This year is taking shape as their worst on record, with a double-digit drop in advertising revenue, raising serious questions about the survival of some papers and the...

Above the Law?
Inside Higher Ed:Student newspaper advisers are something of an endangered species these days. They often get caught in the middle when administrators and student journalists clash over content, and in more than a few cases on college campuses in recent...

The A.P. Asserts Tough (and Still Secret) View of Copyright on Blogs - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog
I was busy at the Hypertext '08 conference these past few days, so only now am I following up on the AP vs. Bloggers story. According to NYT blogger Saul Hansell:one key issue is the A.P. wants to protect the...