Penn State has removed nearly three dozen racks displaying its student-produced newspaper from its campus this week.
According to the Daily Collegian, Penn State’s independent student newspaper, the removal was triggered by political advertisement on the newsstands which violated school policy. Newspaper staff were informed of the removal on Wednesday night in an off-the-record conversation, and have not been told where the racks or the print newspapers that were removed will be kept for storage.
What an unconscionable, short-sighted and disappointing decision by my alma mater @penn_state. For a place like @DailyCollegian w/ such a storied history of supremely talented journalists, it’s hard to justify this move and for aspiring journalists to see a viable path for them. https://t.co/Moen7aARLg
— Jake Aferiat (@Jake_Aferiat) September 20, 2024
Out of the 35 newspaper racks placed within campus buildings, only three were running ads related to Vice President Kamala Harris, and another six were running voter registration ads displayed in the poster space above the physical newspapers. The remaining racks had no ads or posters displayed, but were still subject to removal.
The Collegian’s leadership never received official correspondence outlining the university’s plan to remove the racks. Wayne Lowman, the Collegian’s general manager, had had some conversations about the potential violations the ads imposed.
“I still haven’t talked to anyone from the university. I’ve made that request, to talk to whoever made the decision,” Lowman told the Collegian. “I don’t think whoever’s making these decisions has thought through the impact — what are they trying to accomplish?”
Editor-in-Chief Amy Schafer has voiced her dismay with the university’s decision, pointing out that “political advertising isn’t something that’s new to the Collegian.”
“(John) Fetterman purchased ads previously during the campaign that ran in our paper and on our website. … We’ve had Republican candidates and Democratic candidates in the past,” Schafer said.
“I was very alarmed when I first noticed that our newsstands were missing. More alarming to me wasn’t necessarily the removal of the stands, but also the papers themselves,” she continued. “It’s censoring our outlet, and it’s a violation against free speech to remove our papers.”
🚨 PLEASE READ 🚨
Yesterday, Penn State removed The Daily Collegian’s on-campus newsstands, which provide free weekly newspapers to students, faculty, etc. It’s a clear violation of our first amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press (🧵⬇️)
— Joel Haas (@Joel_Haas1) September 20, 2024
Penn State spokesman Lisa Powers stated that the print edition of the Collegian may be displayed on campus.
“The University understands the importance of a free news and information source specifically for its students,” Powers wrote in an email. “However, the Collegian’s use of advertising space within university buildings is in violation of AD27 Commercial Sales Activities at University Locations and AD02 Non-University Groups Using University Facilities.”
AD27 Commercial Sales Activities at University Locations states “university organizations, within the limitations established by this policy and other university regulations, and with appropriate approval, may sell materials to support the purposes of their organization.”
The racks were returned on Friday with the ads removed, according to the publication. However, the stand that belongs outside of the Collegian office is still missing.
