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Indiana University fires student newspaper adviser who refused to block news stories
AP News ^ | Updated 3:09 PM CDT, October 17, 2025 | TODD RICHMOND

Posted on 10/18/2025 10:48:34 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Tension between Indiana University and its student newspaper flared this week with the elimination of the outlet’s print editions and the firing of a faculty adviser, who refused an order to keep news stories out of a homecoming edition.

Administrators may have been hoping to minimize distractions this homecoming weekend as the school prepares to celebrate a Hoosiers football team with its highest-ever national ranking. Instead, the controversy has entangled the school in questions about censorship and student journalists’ First Amendment rights.

Advocates for student media, Indiana Daily Student alumni and high-profile supporters including billionaire Mark Cuban have blasted the school for stepping on the outlet’s independence.

The Daily Student is routinely honored among the best collegiate publications in the country. It receives about $250,000 annually in subsidies from the university’s Media School to help make up for dwindling ad revenue.

On Tuesday, the university fired the paper’s adviser, Jim Rodenbush, after he refused an order to force student editors to ensure no news stories ran in the print edition tied to the homecoming celebrations.

“I had to make the decision that was going to allow me to live with myself,” Rodenbush said. “I don’t have any regrets whatsoever. In the current environment we’re in, somebody has to stand up.”

IU says student journalists still call the shots

A university spokesperson referred an AP reporter to a statement issued Tuesday, which said the campus wants to shift resources from print media to digital platforms both for students’ educational experience and to address the paper’s financial problems.

Chancellor David Reingold issued a separate statement Wednesday saying the school is “firmly committed to the free expression and editorial independence of student media. The university has not and will not interfere with their editorial judgment.”

It was late last year when university officials announced they were...

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: associatedpress; davidreingold; indianauniversity; jimrodenbush; leftistsource; markcuban; toddrichmond

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1 posted on 10/18/2025 10:48:34 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The U of I student paper suffers from a lack of advertising and, so, heavily relies on money provided by the University. Turns out the University has strings attached to its money.

In the case of U of I, the University doesn’t want the student newspaper to interfere with what is really important on campus nowadays, which is football. The homecoming edition is supposed to be all positive, feel good stuff, not anything controversial, and not any news.


2 posted on 10/19/2025 1:21:47 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: Redmen4ever

“It receives about $250,000 annually in subsidies from the university’s Media School to help make up for dwindling ad revenue.”

apparently the students and adviser ignored the provisions of the contract associated with the funding, and AP is pretending the consequences are “censorship” ...


3 posted on 10/19/2025 2:56:46 AM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“somebody has to stand up”

When you take somebody’s money they own you.

You only get to stand up when they tell you to stand up....


4 posted on 10/19/2025 3:00:11 AM PDT by cgbg ("The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Printing a special homecoming edition would have prevented this excitement. The regular edition is probably a Propaganda Paper which is only read for police beat and the crossword puzzle.


5 posted on 10/19/2025 3:00:25 AM PDT by KingLudd
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To: Redmen4ever
If the students were paying for the paper then they could decide what's printed in it. If they are just ‘working’ for the paper or were privileged to write for them then no free speech rights were violated here. Free speech is only at play when the govt violates a citizens rights to say to, or about the govt whatever it wants to.
6 posted on 10/19/2025 3:07:33 AM PDT by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man, but it's ok---- I wasn't married to it.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Apparently, the president of the university has been cracking down on Palestinian protesters. The leftists are sad that they can’t publish stories favorable to their protesters.


7 posted on 10/19/2025 3:45:14 AM PDT by bort
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Dear Student activist, you can print anything you like but do not use University facilities, paper, press or personnel. These do not belong to you.


8 posted on 10/19/2025 4:21:41 AM PDT by plangent
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The University is the publisher of the newspaper, and as such has editorial control over the content. It is no difference then how every other newspaper is managed. The “reporters” don’t get to decide content, the publisher sets the guideline, the editors enforce the guidelines.


9 posted on 10/19/2025 4:38:13 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN
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To: bort

They can publish whatever the hell they want to publish….online. No free speech infringement here at all, just libs throwing a temper tantrum like always.


10 posted on 10/19/2025 4:49:56 AM PDT by sam_whiskey (Peace through Strength. )
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To: Redmen4ever

“...heavily relies on money provided by the University.”

And how much of that money is our tax dollars at work? The leftists and colleges should not get a dime of our money.


11 posted on 10/19/2025 4:59:17 AM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Has anyone actually read the article(s) the paper was going to publish?


12 posted on 10/19/2025 5:25:58 AM PDT by The Louiswu (USA FIRST...USA FOREVER)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
I think the ids usually produces a Homecoming edition that is full of puff pieces in tune to the readership: visiting alumni, etc.

So they probably got the word to table the usual leftist screed just for the weekend.

And this is maybe the second Homecoming in about a century where the alumni are excited and feeling generous.

But no, they insisted on playing the persecuted journalists' card.

It's a tempest in a teapot.

Wonderful paper! Someone should have played the Ernie Pyle card. No one has yet.

EP was the Editor-in-Chief back in the day before he was a war correspondent.

13 posted on 10/19/2025 5:43:05 AM PDT by caddie (Going forward we all need to become Trump, and also Captain Obvious, and Charlie Kirk too. )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The University of Georgia paper moved off campus in the previous century. Even a couple of decades before that Emory had 3 campus papers, at least 2 of them independent.

In any event, print is largely dead, and online isn’t that hard to set up. The Atlanta paper is going to shut down its print editions shortly. https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/08/ajc-to-move-to-fully-digital-publication-phase-out-print-dec-31/


14 posted on 10/19/2025 6:03:40 AM PDT by PAR35 (I)
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To: quantim

The newspaper story that has existed forever. The editorial board vs marketing department. Content vs Money.


15 posted on 10/19/2025 6:19:11 AM PDT by Oystir ( )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Government subsidized student newspapers (not event bulletin boards) are leftist breeding grounds. Eliminate them, and let students pay for whatever slant they want.


16 posted on 10/19/2025 7:29:02 AM PDT by Socon-Econ (adi)
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To: Redmen4ever

In breaking news, editors find out about publishers and donors.


17 posted on 10/19/2025 8:02:36 AM PDT by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If MCuban is against it, that means it is a good thing. HE is a TWOT.


18 posted on 10/19/2025 8:05:47 AM PDT by bobbo666
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Well the Hoosier football team should be moving up to #2 after Miami’s dud.


19 posted on 10/19/2025 8:06:00 AM PDT by Kudsman (48)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
the controversy has entangled the school in questions about censorship and student journalists’ First Amendment rights.

This is hysterical and ridiculous. Publications have a right to an editorial policy. If the editor-in-chief wanted them to include an article entitled "Jesus is Lord," you wouldn't hear these babies crying about free speech.

20 posted on 10/19/2025 10:42:36 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (To live free is the greatest gift; to die free is the greatest victory. —Erica Kirk)
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