Actions of student editors at The Red and Black show journalistic integrity

The top editors of The Red and Black, the independent student-run newspaper of the University of Georgia, walked out Wednesday.

They resigned due to concerns about control of content. The students felt the newspaper’s board of directors was taking on too much control — by changing a position from editorial adviser to editorial director; by having prior review, which allows the new editorial director to review articles before publication; and by defining good and bad journalism. The top editors were not OK with these changes.

And they left. They began their own social media pages and started posting their own content, regardless of whether it was “good” or “bad” journalism.

On Friday, the students met with the board of directors, and a compromise was met. The editorial director dropped back down to an adviser, prior review was taken off the table, and the students can reapply for their positions.

As journalists in training and as Syracuse N.Y.’s independent student-run paper complete with a board of directors, The Daily Orange editorial board and its Board of Directors stands behind the actions of the students at The Red and Black.

The students were expected to fill the pages of their newspaper with more “good” journalism and less “bad” journalism, according to guidelines written by a board member. “Bad” journalism would include any article that casts someone in a bad light.

The board member who wrote the guidelines resigned Friday. Though the guidelines have been taken off the table, they are still worrisome. Journalists do not have control concerning what is happening around them; they report on what is happening around them. Journalists report on the pulse of the community — the good, the bad and the ugly. It is a disservice to their readership not to.

Under the old system, The Red and Black’s adviser provided feedback and commentary after stories were published, telling students about mistakes that were made and how to avoid them in the future. This is an invaluable learning technique, regardless of the profession you are training for.

Taking away that technique removes a resource and a learning tool for students. Although these students were not associated with the university, they worked in a university setting and were supposed to be learning and preparing for the real world.

Though no members of The Daily Orange were privy to the conversations between the student editors and the board of directors at The Red and Black, it’s concerning — for journalists and news consumers — when all the top editors leave the paper in protest.

These student journalists noticed changes in the paper they were not comfortable with. Instead of accepting the changes, they took a stand against them, and it paid off for them.

And that is to be admired.