November 1, 2007
ASUM should not keep students in the dark
I would like to start by commending Sean Breslin and Kelsey Bernius who worked to publish the story that ran last Thursday in the Kaimin about UM Productions, and the meeting between ASUM and UM administration. I am proud to be at a school that has a paper with the guts to do its duty and bring issues like this to the public eye.
I think it is extremely important for a newspaper to keeps its readers informed about the issues that concern them, and I believe that the fate of UM Productions does affect students. Despite the fact that UM administration and ASUM had vague reasons for not wanting students to know that a meeting was taking place, I admire Mr. Breslin’s decision to run the article anyway.
I am seriously concerned that ASUM and the administration wanted to, essentially, keep students in the dark about a meeting concerning a student-run organization. ASUM is an elected body meant to represent students, but how can student voices be heard when they are deprived of information about what our college is doing?
ASUM Senator Sean Morrison states in his opinion column, “Students deserve to know what has taken place and what will take place over the next few weeks.” The Kaimin did nothing wrong by informing the student body about factual information that ASUM and the administration seemed to want to hide.
It is the business of the Montana Kaimin (and their duty) to inform the student body, even if our student leaders and administration don’t like it, or claim it’s in our best interest not to know. The Kaimin provides a check for both ASUM and UM administration.
In response to Mr. Morrison’s column, I am appalled that he blames the Kaimin for creating unfounded perceptions about UM Productions. I know that Ms. Bernius worked hard on that article and I found it extremely fair and balanced.
Mr. Morrison continually ranted that the Kaimin has “harmed” students in some way, yet he fails to mention how. Mr. Morrison states, “The Montana Kaimin has done irreparable damage not to ASUM or to the University administration, but mostly to you, the students.” Mr. Morrison claims Mr. Breslin owes an apology to students “for what his fanaticism has cost them.” In my opinion, it is ASUM (our elected representatives) and UM administration that owe an apology to students for hiding information.
Again, I must say that I am proud of the Kaimin for fulfilling a journalistic responsibility to keep students on this campus informed. I hope that it continues to do so, and is not discouraged to do so by this event.
Conrad Wendland
junior, journalism/ media arts
Kayla Matzke
junior, journalism
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