Students hesitant to speak out
By Timithie Gould
This is the last issue of The Santa Clara that the 2005-2006 staff will produce. As of today, an entirely new group of student reporters and editors will take over the writing and production of this page.
As a four-year member of this staff, it is with mixed feelings that I finish my time as a student journalist. The newsroom camaraderie will be missed, as will working diligently to produce a quality piece of news media each week.
Witnessing a story slowly unfold gives me a sense of excitement and anticipation about seeing the front page. A feeling of pride and accomplishment accompanies me when I walk into class and see half the students buried in the paper, discussing the latest campus news.
There are, however, aspects of this position that I am happy to pass down to my successor. With the job comes a responsibility and devotion to the ideals of journalism: to inform and enlighten the students, staff and faculty of this campus. Unfortunately, some of these same students, staff and faculty do not support or understand the role of student media.
An unhealthy dose of media criticism seems to dwell in the Santa Clara student population, yet rarely is there tangible action to follow up or voice an opinion about an issue. One passionate gripe session is all students are willing to do to express their concerns about what's going on around campus.
This page received exactly 25 letters to the editor in 20 issues, an average of 1.25 letters per issue. Other comparable college papers from other Jesuit universities like Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount and Saint Mary's print an average of four letters per issue.
The Santa Clara and its staff have received angry anonymous letters, have been the subject of hours of Benson gossip, have been referenced in less-than-friendly Facebook wall messages, and have received countless phone calls from those questioning some article that had run in the paper.
Yet only 25 letters actually voiced a concern and shared the possible other side of an issue. Students seem afraid to express their opinions and have their name linked to their objection. Instead, if something upsets them, they hide behind a computer screen or the anonymity of ranting with friends. And even when students do speak up, the concern is less than political. The most passionately debated topic in the letters column this year revolved around bringing squirrels back to the weekly cartoon.
Student apathy is not new at Santa Clara. But my concern is not apathy; rather, it is a disinterest in honest debate. Journalists often come under fire from outside press and from the community. Whether reporting the death of a community member or the results of student elections, not everyone will be pleased with the truth revealed by solid reporting.
To all who have a stake in fair and honest journalism: don't let criticism deter you from discovering, investigating and reporting what is happening on campus and in the surrounding community. Our reporters have all taken their fair share of negative feedback. But don't let the emotions and politics of others stand in the way of reporting the truth.
Timithie Gould is a senior communication major and general business minor. She is the outgoing opinion editor.