As the staffers of the
Rocky Mountain Collegian gathered outside of CSU President Larry Penley's office yesterday afternoon, they wondered aloud why they hadn't been invited to the meeting inside, where Penley was discussing potentially radical changes for the student newspaper.
"We're not going to hang out while [they have this discussion]," said editor David McSwane, moving amongst fellow students holding signs with slogans expressing anxiety over a rumor that the paper might be sold to the
Fort Collins Coloradoan, owned by the
Gannett Company.
Associated Students of CSU President Katie Gleason was the first to exit the office, offering the stock phrase of the afternoon when referring to the talks as "a preliminary discussion on a strategic partnership."
Coloradoan Publisher Christine Chin and Executive Editor Bob Moore confirmed that the
Coloradoan had initiated the conversation, and Chin said that "as we proceed forward, we will include a lot of stakeholders" in the discussions.
Moore added, in response to inquiries about why
Collegian staffers had not been invited to the meeting, "I got nothing out of that meeting that indicated we were talking to the wrong people." As McSwane pressed him, Moore referred him to Penley.
"No one has been slighted," said CSU spokesman Brad Bohlander, assuring that all of the "key players" had been at the table. With regard to future conversations, he said it's "all in the
Coloradoan's court."
Back at the
Coloradoan office, Chin sent an email that included the following statements to the staff:
The Coloradoan today began discussions with CSU about potential strategic
partnership opportunities with the campus newspaper, the Collegian. As you know, the Coloradoan explores all sorts of opportunities. ... Our talks are in the very early stages and no details have been developed. If you get any questions from the community or other media about our talks with CSU, please refer them to me.
Penley's office, noting the university's "strong relationship with the
Coloradoan," also released a statement to the CSU community:
As a result of today’s meeting, we have asked Gannett to submit a formal proposal, and asked that they address how a strategic partnership:
-Would enhance educational opportunities for student journalists;
-Would enhance professional opportunities for student journalists;
-Could enhance journalism faculty advisory participation;
-Could improve services to the larger student body.
Should the Coloradoan choose to move forward, we will make the consideration of the proposal a public process whereby input from students, faculty and staff will guide my advice to the Board of Governors in making any decisions. Ultimately, the Board and I want to seek opportunities to improve the student experience - including educational and career opportunities – at Colorado State University.
I am literally in the middle of taking a phone survey on my election choices for 2008, and one of the questions I've been asked is whether I would vote for Bob Bacon or Matt Fries for state Senate, District 14. This is the first I have heard anything about Fries — who lost to Lisa Poppaw in a Fort Collins City Council race last April — running for office. The woman on the phone also asked me if I would vote for sitting Democratic Representative John Kefalas or Republican Bob McCluskey, whom many people have assumed would run again for House District 52.
