MISSION VIEJO : Students Rally to Save College Newspaper

About 25 journalism students from several community colleges gathered at Saddleback College on Monday to protest a proposed $9,000 budget cut that could force the closing of the campus newspaper, the Lariat.

Several students from Golden West College in Huntington Beach organized the demonstration after learning last week about the possible demise of the award-winning Lariat, which has been published for 23 years.

Students from Golden West, Fullerton, El Camino and Rancho Santiago colleges said they fear the potential loss of the Lariat may send a signal to other campuses that journalism programs are expendable.

“Our main fear is that it will start snowballing,” said Veronica Gimenez, a columnist for the Western Sun at Golden West. “The newspaper is the link between all the students.”

During the peaceful protest, students carried signs with such slogans as “Freedom of speech is not a money issue, save the Lariat” and “Closing the Lariat opens the door to censorship.”

“We just appreciate the support,” said Antonio Alano, editor of the Lariat’s arts and entertainment section.

Assistant Lariat adviser Carol Ziehm added: “I think it’s wonderful other student journalists in this area think it’s important enough to speak out about the value of a student voice on any campus.”

The students also had a chance to speak to interim Saddleback College President Calvin Nelson about their concerns when the demonstration moved into the lobby of the campus administration building.

Nelson stressed that administrators have yet to make any final budget-cutting decisions.

“We’re still in the whole process,” he said. “There’s so many different things on the list to look at. No one has said there isn’t going to be a campus newspaper yet. . . . The Lariat is one piece of a larger puzzle we’re looking at.”

As part of an effort to deal with an estimated $2.8-million shortfall in the college’s estimated $37.4-million budget for the coming fiscal year, Nelson has proposed eliminating the pay that professors receive for working as coaches and advisers to student programs. These faculty-advised activities include programs such as the Lariat, the student art gallery, the honors program, the forensic team and Summer Stock, a musical theater.

In the case of the Lariat, journalism professor Michael Reed, the paper’s longtime adviser, would be asked to teach two more classes per semester rather than being paid to help students produce the newspaper, which requires about 20 hours per week in addition to class time. The value of Reed’s time to serve as Lariat adviser is estimated at $9,000.

By asking professors such as Reed to teach a full load of classes, officials say the college could serve more students, which means more funding from the state.

But officials have said that unless Reed is paid for his work in advising the paper, the Lariat will probably close.

Nelson said officials will be in a better position to begin making budget decisions by June 1, when the college knows how much tax money it will receive through the county and how many professors will accept an early-retirement offer.

Nelson said he expects a more detailed budget plan to be submitted to the Saddleback Community College District Board of Trustees on June 7.