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University Daily Kansan
Thursday, Oct. 4, 1962
Rebuff to Atkins
A Colorado Board of Regents candidate recently disclaimed the editorial stand of the University of Colorado student newspaper (reprinted at the far right) for its position on the CU football situation. The candidate, Dr. Dale Atkins, voiced loud and severe criticism of the student newspaper situation at CU and how this was reflected in the editorial in question. (See center column.)
The points which were suggested by the writer of the editorial (who is the editor of the Colorado Daily, Gary Althen) are definitely moot ones. The entire scope of the question of intercollegiate athletics is constantly under analysis. There is almost always some party taking issue with the principles and issues involved with intercollegiate athletics. Unfortunate circumstances such as those at CU last spring only add to the distastefulness of the situation.
BUT THE QUESTION HERE is not that of intercollegiate athletics. The argument is with Dr. Atkins' attack on the Colorado Daily. This should be immediately qualified by stating that there is need for comment on what is happening at CU not because of a parallel arrangement here. This is, fortunately, not of primary importance. What is of concern are the charges which were made against the Daily in light of their reflection on student newspapers throughout the nation in defining a position, purpose, control, direction, and scope.
Dr. Atkins took strong issue with the Daily's not maintaining adamant support for university sponsored functions—such as a football team or game. He contended that the football team "deserved" support like that of any other activity within the realm of the University. He mired himself further in the muck of embarrassment and lack of knowledge of what a newspaper (whether it be student or commercial) is and does by criticizing the Daily for not serving as a public relations organ for the University.
It is within the concepts manhandled in this area—of the place and function of a student newspaper—where Dr. Atkins stomped most harmfully upon not only what the CU Daily may be trying to accomplish but also upon what the University Daily Kansan has developed into probably the finest tradition of purpose on campus anywhere.
THE FUNCTION OF ANY NEWSPAPER is not to reproduce only the favorable aspects of the community it serves. The function of a newspaper also encompasses that of being a watchdog, a leader of opinion, an investigator, and of providing an outlet for community thought. Dr. Atkins has allowed room for none of the positive functions of a newspaper just mentioned. He seems to consider a newspaper to be nothing more than an organized propaganda sheet authorized by a single aspect of the community by which it is therefore mandated to protect and deal with sacrosanctly.
In the same breath Dr. Atkins commented he was for freedom of the press and voiced sharp doubt in the right which the CU Daily has accepted to undercut a University function. Dr. Atkins did not feel the paper had the privilege to "take off" on something which operates under University sanction. This represents nothing short of bordering on hypocrisy. How can there be freedom of the press, expression, speech—anything—if a subordinate body cannot exercise the right of criticizing any other body, whether this criticism be leveled at a superior body or not?
The next area of discussion is that which deals with the content of a student newspaper. Dr. Atkins contended that the students at CU did not want to be subjected to great amounts of political news. He thought the student body would be much more appreciative and be getting more for its money if the Daily were to offer a "bright, newsy issue of news of campus events."
DR. ATKINS LAMBASTED THE POLITICAL bias and prevalence of editor opinion. This cannot be commented upon here because a content analysis of the Daily has not been attempted. But the general tone and content of a student daily newspaper, whether it be at Colorado, Harvard, or Kansas, can be mentioned. It is the consensus that college, almost universally, is becoming continually more difficult, that universities are attracting more outstanding people and that the general attitude on campuses throughout the nation has become one of a more serious, scholastic, mature nature. Certainly then it must be the place of the student newspaper to not only stay abreast and meet this changing attitude but to lead it.
Another function of any newspaper which is disclaimed by Dr. Atkins is that of education of the readership. Newspapers have always served an important educational function in any society and this is the entire basis for a newspaper. A newspaper's purpose is to inform. What is education if it is not the act of being informed?
TWO OTHER MAJOR CONCEPTS in regard to student newspapers are mentioned in the Atkins' blast. He commented upon the student tuition subsidization of the Daily and the absence of a faculty adviser for the paper.
A student newspaper's advertising revenue will undoubtedly not cover expenses. Therefore it must solicit funds from its readers, as does any newspaper.
The CU Daily may be unique in its position of not having a faculty adviser. This position is not entirely enviable. The Kansan has an adviser and the relationship between him and the policy of the Kansan is directed toward freedom of student opinion. The idea of a faculty adviser is good, if he were to act only as one who catches errors after they have been committed.
Therefore Dr. Atkins' "suggestions" and criticisms are taken from this quarter with considerably more than a grain of salt. His right to hold such contentions cannot be contended. But the accuracy and effect of such claims should be considered in their proper perspective. Bill Sheldon
(Editor's note: The following article and the one appearing on the right (How You Play) are reprinted from the Colorado Daily, student newspaper of the University of Colorado. Both are concerned with the charges made by a Board of Regent candidate to the editorial in the Daily which dealt sharply with the situation of inter-collegiate football at that university.)
CU Daily Attacked
Dr. Dale Atkins, regent candidate, recently urged the end of student subsidization of the Daily, called for the establishment of an editorial advisor position and promised an investigation of the Daily if he were elected regent.
In calling for the end of subsidization of the Daily, Dr. Atkins said:
"THE MONEY is derived from the student tuition, and I can think of many ways it can be better spent. Certainly, our college students shouldn't be required to spend money that comes hard to a great many of them for such tripe as they're finding in their own paper.
"I think it is tripe not to support a university sponsored function such as the football team. As such it deserves as much support as any other university-supported function, such as the debating team.
"I would like to know why an article like that (the editorial) would be published. I would like to know if the editor is receiving counsel, and if he isn't, why not.
"I AM FOR FREEDOM of the press but I don't believe it gives license to take off on University sponsored functions."
Dr. Atkins, a former baseball star at the University, noted, "If I am elected, I will investigate the student newspaper policy, its organization, its advisors and counsellors as well as its political bias and incomplete coverage."
The Daily should be "more of a news organ than an opinion sheet," he said.
"I can't believe the kids up there enjoy reading all this news about politics-I think they would rather have a bright,newsy issue of news on campus events.
"THE PAPER SHOULD reflect the views of the campus majority—and it hasn't. I don't think it should try to educate them (students) politically—it should be objective."
The function of an editor is not to point out his own personal dislikes, Dr. Atkins said. It would be better to be more objective.
"IT WOULD BE better if the editors didn't get out on a limb and take issues so much. Let people form their own opinion," he noted.
"The Colorado Daily is missing a great bet by not being a good public relations thing for the University. One of the University's faults is poor public relations—the public image is bad."
He then blamed the University administration and the present board of regents for permitting the Daily to be handled in a "haphazard manner."
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904,
trifweekly 1908, dally Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone VIking 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., Chicago, IL 60611. Published by United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University's summer holidays. University holidays, and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Scott Payne   Managing Editor
EDITORIAL MENT
Clayton Keller and
Bill Schroeder-Co-Editorial Editors
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Charles Martinez Business Manager
Dennis Robinson Marketing Doug
Farmer, Circulation Manager; Gene
Spalding, National Advertising Manager;
Carolyn Clarke Client-developed
Manager; Jack Cannon, Promotion
Manager.
The vanishing buffalo.
How You Play
Tomorrow night should see the first in a series of losses for the University of Colorado Golden Buffaloes, termed as the "vanishing herd" by sports columnists.
Thirty-five bison have been felled since last spring, and the encounter with the Redskins (Utah) is yet to come.
GONE IS the coach who engaged in illegal financial practices to secure outstanding players.
Gone are the outstanding players who accepted illegal aid for their weekly services.
Gone are several outstanding players who were not able to meet the minimal scholastic standards established by the Big Eight Conference.
ALL THAT REMAINS is a coach untried in college play and a team which, the experts say, will not win a single game all season.
We hope the experts are correct. We hope the Buffs lose tomorrow's game and lose all those to follow. Only then, when the glory of Jerry Hillebrand and the conference championship has been lost in a string of inglorious defeats, will those who are concerned with the well-being of the University see the idiocy of supporting an exorbitant weekly circus in the name of an institution of higher education.
When a college football team purged of its dishonest and scholastically inept elements is previewed as contender without hope, one can only wonder what sort of standards of honesty and scholastic fitness prevail on teams previewed as winners.
WHEN PLAYERS ARE scholastically ineligible in spite of lowered standards, correspondence courses and special tutors, one wonders how much a university must prostitute itself in order to maintain a winning team.
These anomalies arise because present-day intercollegiate football is a professional game played under amateur rules. But the amateur rules are enforced only on occasion and the rest of the time the hypocrisy prevails.
Now that the University finds itself a victim of the system—an amateur team competing with professionals—it should be in the mood to consider a change. As we see it, it has three alternatives:
1. THE UNIVERSITY COULD take the lead in making intercollegiate football strictly amateur. There would be no football scholarships, no recruiting junkets and fewer new uniforms.
2. THE UNIVERSITY COULD take the lead in making intercollegiate football strictly professional. The football program would be self-supporting. Players would be paid for playing without having to sneak to the local apothecary; class attendance would be optional. There would be no selastic eligibility rules.
3. IF NEITHER of the preceding courses proves desirable or successful, the University should abandon intercollegiate football and turn its attention from Folsom Field and Anderson's Drug to Hellems Annex and the Chemistry Building where it properly belongs. (From the Colorado Daily)