op-ed Revisiting legitimate journalism on campus and in The Campus

Author: Maddie Terry

This week I write to support and applaud the so-called illegitimate Middlebury Campus, as well as its' Features editors, in light of a March 13 letter to the editor. I trust that, given what I have always understood to be committed adherence of The Campus staff to those "journalistic standards" in contention, the author of last week's opinion was able to read the editor's official apology this week for a byline misattribution. Further, I believe that the added reservation regarding the newspaper's right to edit any work submitted for publication was clearly delineated. Two separate issues were noted in Molly Dwyer's opinion which warrant address. First, what was described as "publishing graphic sexual comments in the place of world news," and second, "[inappropriate and false attribution] of sexual comments."

On Sunday, March 9, the parliament in Kosovo proclaimed its Republic territory to be a new, democratic state in a monumental decision. The now multi-ethnic nation was officially established in defiance of both Serbia and of Russia, and in contextual emergence from brutal conflict that claimed approximately 10,000 lives only a decade ago. One might argue that Dwyer holds The Campus to a reasonable standard - to "responsibly provide accurate and legitimate articles and commentary to the Middlebury community." She simultaneously fails to recognize her own inability to generate legitimate commentary, given that she and her colleague had deemed it appropriate to communicate breaking world news through the "Winners and Losers - What's hot and what's not on campus and in pop culture" column. Consistently humorous and lighthearted in nature, past insertions by Mia Lieb-Lappen included comments ranging from revelry in free online episodes of South Park to gripes about discrepancies in the amounts of printer paper consumed by English majors and science majors who "kill lab rats, not trees." It is my firm opinion, then, that a severe misstep would have taken place if news of Kosovo's groundbreaking independence had ultimately been included in the column. Perhaps the column's authors might have considered taking cues from their own letter to the editor, in which they call for The Campus to "[make] an important statement about its standards." I might suggest undertaking a well-researched, articulately written and carefully considered article which would allow The Campus readers to gain a sense of the decision's impact in Kosovo, as well as its global repercussions. Whether or not an article of that nature will be published in the future, I am relieved that readers were spared the highly generalized "comments about foreign affairs" that would otherwise have appeared on March 13 amongst quirky one-liners about spring break in Vail and Black Friday shoppers.

In reference to the "gratuitous graphic sexual commentary" said to "hardly exist" in reputable newspapers, Dwyer accused The Campus of deviating from guidelines of significant print publications. The Features editor is also relegated to a particular category of people, described by Dwyer as being "interested in seeking extraneous sexual content … and [who would] be better off [relying on] pornographic magazines rather than their school newspaper." If the inclusion of subjects such as the recent sex toys workshop and masturbation is termed to be extraneous, it seems that a large number of students on campus might be labeled as extraneous themselves. Dina Magaril regaled February readers with a witty and open account of the workshop, noting the "comfortable and tight-knit environment" that was successfully established amongst "a crowd that reached nearly 100 students." That group, whose members I assume Dwyer would redirect towards pornographic material, is about the same size as my own Feb class. I would argue further that, should the same students who are sexually active and open about sexual issues on campus cease to "rely on their school newspaper," The Campus publication and the College campus culture would pay a price. The Middlebury community, comprised of over 2,000 late adolescents reaching the normal and typical stage of sexual discovery and experimentation, should successfully function in its allowance and encouragement of positive and open attitudes about sex. The attitude towards sex expressed in Dwyer's letter is representative of a general mindset that threatens a critical openness and dialogue at Middlebury. I believe The Middlebury Campus, in fact, to be one of the most "legitimate" and important forums for dialogue relating to all aspects of learning, living and interacting as undergraduates.

I recognize that as I sip early morning coffee before class on Thursday and flip through this week's issue, over 2,200 copies in addition to that which I peruse will be read by students around me. Shoppers at Shaw's and the Co-op, as well as print subscribers including parents, friends of the College and alumni will read what The Campus contributors have to say. Many of the paper's registered online users will look as well, and e-mail issues will reach approximately 6,500 readers this week. These numbers reflect a readership that is arguably as committed to the publication as the staff is committed to campus journalism, reaching beyond our immediate geographic vicinity with each successive week of publication. Occasional misattributions, misprints, formatting errors and inaccurate quotations have occurred intermittently this year, and are understandable. The inclusion of stimulating, assertive and relevant topics, which should include sex and sex-related issues at Middlebury, is imperative to maintaining a mature, healthy, campus-wide perspective. To render The Middlebury Campus and its staff as less than professional and accountable is to discredit an incredibly hardworking group of writers and editors, and by extension, to discredit the student body benefiting from The Campus.

Maddie Terry '08.5 is a Studio Art major from Concord, Mass.