2000 Scholastic Press Freedom Award
Student Press Law Center
MISSOURI STUDENT NEWSPAPER THAT UNCOVERED UNIVERSITY'S 'IMPROPER' SEVERANCE
CONTRACT TO RECEIVE PRESS FREEDOM AWARD
ARLINGTON, Va. - The student newspaper staff of a Missouri university that
ignored intimidation and threats to uncover the details of a lavish
$620,000 contract given to their former university president has been named
a recipient of the 2000 Scholastic Press Freedom Award.
Representatives of the staff of the Muleskinner, the student
newspaper at Central Missouri State University, in Warrensburg, will be
presented the award at the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media
Advisers national convention in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Nov. 11.
The award, sponsored by the Student Press Law Center and the
National Scholastic Press Association/Associated Collegiate Press, is given
each year to the high school or college student journalist or student news
medium that has demonstrated outstanding support for the free press rights
of students.
The Muleskinner's battle started after it sought access to the
contract that the CMSU Board of Governors signed with Ed Elliott, the
school's retiring president. After noting that some provisions in the
contract appeared unusual, the newspaper staff filed several requests for
information under Missouri's open-records law. They then spent days sifting
through the pages of university documents they received and ultimately
published a series of stories that caught the attention of people across
the state.
Their research revealed that Elliot was to be paid $621,000 over
three years for fundraising and other work, despite the fact he was given a
leave of absence for the first of those three years. The severance
contract also provided Elliott with health insurance for him and his wife
(including all-expenses paid trips to the Mayo Clinic for annual
physicals), the purchase and expenses (including fuel) for a new $40,000
automobile (which Elliot would be allowed to purchase for $4,000 at the end
of three years), a fully equipped office with a $15,000 budget and a
secretary, computers for his home to be upgraded every year that would
become his property at the end of his contract and a one-year, renewable,
unrestricted $77,000 travel and entertainment allowance.
As part of its coverage, the newspaper published the full contract
on its Web site.
The more the Muleskinner staff dug into the story, the less
cooperative and more openly hostile school officials became. University
officials denounced student reporters in public meetings, threatened their
adviser and refused to answer questions in interviews. As a result,
Muleskinner reporters began sending questions to board members by certified
mail.
On one occasion, a board member recognized one of the reporters at
the post office and loudly berated her for wasting his time.
As the pressure grew, the Muleskinner published editorials
emphasizing the importance of free expression for all students on the CMSU
campus.
Based on the Muleskinner's coverage of the former president's
contract, the state auditor examined CMSU's records and found a number of
"improper compensation and perquisites" in Elliott's contract.
Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill praised the staff of the
Muleskinner for their work.
"I am pleased college newspaper reporters see it as their job to
watch what's going on with their university's finances," McCaskill told the
St. Louis Journalism Review. "The contract was excessively generous for Mr.
Elliott. I have never, ever seen a contract like this in which the spouse
[of a former employee] is entitled to so many benefits."
In August 2000, the CMSU Board of Governors voted 4-3 to void
Elliott's contract.
Despite its reporting achievements, the newspaper's success has not
all been sweet. Shortly after the story about the president's contract
broke, university officials told the Muleskinner's adviser that it would
not be renewing her contract for the 2000-2001 school year.
University officials have admitted that there was bad blood between
the Board of Governors and the newspaper but deny that it resulted in the
decision not to rehire Barbara Lach-Smith, who had advised the Muleskinner
staff for six years.
Officials say the university did not renew her contract because
they had earlier decided to change her position into a tenure-track job.
Lach-Smith filed a lawsuit in June claiming that the school illegally
retaliated against her because of the Muleskinner's aggressive reporting.
Student Press Law Center Executive Director Mark Goodman, who will
present the award to the Muleskinner staff at the convention, believes that
the newspaper's tenacity and commitment to providing its readers with a
full and accurate story - even when it became apparent that some school
officials would do what they could to block their efforts - should be a
source of inspiration to other student reporters.
"The battles and hardships faced by the Muleskinner staff in
bringing this important story regarding the use of public funds to light
make clear that freedom of the press is something that should never be
taken for granted," said Goodman. "During these days when the news media
seems to be everyone's scapegoat, the Muleskinner reminds us all of the
vital role played by a strong and independent press - be it professional or
student."
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Founded in 1921, the National Scholastic Press Association and it's college
division, the Associated Collegiate Press, provide rating services and
critical analyses for print and electronic student news media and sponsor
the largest annual national conventions for student journalists and their
advisers.
Since its founding in 1974, the Student Press Law Center has been the only
national organization exclusively devoted to providing free legal advice
and assistance to student journalists and advisers and serving as an
advocate for their free press and freedom of information rights.
For additional information contact:
Mark Goodman, Executive Director, Student Press Law Center
(703) 807-1904
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Student Press Law Center
1815 N. Fort Myer Dr., Suite 900
Arlington, Virginia 22209
(703) 807-1904 e-mail: sp...@splc.org
http://www.splc.org
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