Mau-Mauing at Penn State

The unbelievable happened at Penn State when Daily Collegian editor Rob McHugh was suspended for printing a “distorted” news story. McHugh was not canned by a reactionary dean of students. He was disciplined by the Collegian Board, composed of students and faculty who share McHugh’s liberal outlook. Prior to its extraordinary action, the Board was not noted for its scruples about journalistic ethics. It had never before suspended or otherwise disciplined an editor, although in recent years the Penn State Collegian has called for strikes, been sued for libel by a faculty member, and has regularly published provocative and unsubstantiated accusations. But all things change, and the Board suddenly acquired a strong ethical sense and waxed indignant that McHugh’s reporter had gotten a story by eavesdropping. It persisted in taking the part of the aggrieved party even after the Collegian offices were overrun and large portions of two issues of the paper were destroyed. McHugh had reason to expect the support of students and faculty. But, strange to say, the student government denounced McHugh while the faculty went fishing.

The “distorted” article that precipitated events was a report of the deliberations of the Black Student Union about the tactics to be used to extract concessions from Penn State President John W. Oswald. Speculation has it that what really annoyed the BSU was the exposure of a black assistant to President Oswald as the chief architect of the plan to push his boss into a corner. To take the heat off the staff member, the theory goes, the BSU resolved to act.

HC

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Hiram Caton

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The unbelievable happened at Penn State when Daily Collegian editor Rob McHugh was suspended for printing a “distorted” news story. McHugh was not canned by a reactionary dean of students. He was disciplined by the Collegian Board, composed of students and faculty who share McHugh’s liberal outlook. Prior to its extraordinary action, the Board was not noted for its scruples about journalistic ethics. It had never before suspended or otherwise disciplined an editor, although in recent years the Penn State Collegian has called for strikes, been sued for libel by a faculty member, and has regularly published provocative and unsubstantiated accusations. But all things change, and the Board suddenly acquired a strong ethical sense and waxed indignant that McHugh’s reporter had gotten a story by eavesdropping. It persisted in taking the part of the aggrieved party even after the Collegian offices were overrun and large portions of two issues of the paper were destroyed. McHugh had reason to expect the support of students and faculty. But, strange to say, the student government denounced McHugh while the faculty went fishing.

The “distorted” article that precipitated events was a report of the deliberations of the Black Student Union about the tactics to be used to extract concessions from Penn State President John W. Oswald. Speculation has it that what really annoyed the BSU was the exposure of a black assistant to President Oswald as the chief architect of the plan to push his boss into a corner. To take the heat off the staff member, the theory goes, the BSU resolved to act.