PA Students Plot Statewide Group

February 1, 2009 in Administration, Politics, Student Government, Student Power | by | Leave a comment

A committee of the Penn State student government is looking to create a state student association to represent the interests of Pennsylvania’s publicly-funded colleges and universities.

They face a hurdle in the fact that university regulations prohibit the use of student government funds to support “a legislative lobby or to a registered student organization whose primary purpose is to influence legislation.”

The group, tentatively named the Pennsylvania Student Association, was inspired in part by the creation of the Texas Student Association last year.

AZ Students Push Back on Funding

January 31, 2009 in Access, Campus Protests, Finances, Media, Politics, Student Government, Student Power | by | Leave a comment

As promised, thousands of Arizona students descended on their state capitol on Wednesday to protest a planned 40% cut to their state university system.

Bused in by the hundreds from each of the state’s public universities, the students eventually amassed a crowd estimated at as much as 2500. Media coverage was intense, including news pieces, editorials, and even a slide show.

Thanks to the Arizona Students’ Association for forwarding links and info on the protest, including this great piece on how the planning and logistics of the protest were handled.

School to Student Paper: “That’s MR. Principal to You!”

January 30, 2009 in Campus Press, Civil Liberties, High School | by | Leave a comment

Administrators at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Illinois are requiring the school’s student newspaper to use courtesy titles such as “Mr.” and “Mrs.” when referring to faculty, staff, or members of the school board.

The move is a reaction to a December editorial that a school superintendent called “disrespectful to the principal in content and attitude.”

When newspaper staffers went to the school board to ask that the rule be overturned, senior Molly Williams said, “they basically came out and said that it was about content and that they didn’t like what we were writing.” Added Williams, an editor on the paper, “it’s almost like they can’t take constructive criticism well.”

The practice of using courtesy titles contradicts the Associated Press Stylebook, the standard reference for newspaper style.

ECU Student Paper on Snowball Melee

January 29, 2009 in Campus Press, Civil Liberties, Police, Pranks, Students | by | Leave a comment

A few days ago we linked to a story (and video) about a snowball fight at East Carolina University that ended in an arrest and the use of pepper spray by campus cops. 

Now the East Carolinian, ECU’s student newspaper, has its coverage up, and their piece is a well-written, thorough one. Ties up a lot of the loose ends that the national media left hanging.

I know it’s a small story, but this piece really is a reminder of what the student press is for.

York University Strike Over.

January 28, 2009 in Students | by | 1 comment

CUPE announced this afternoon that they will not challenge back-to-work legislation in court. The law is expected to pass tomorrow, allowing classes to resume on Monday.

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StudentActivism.net is the work of Angus Johnston, a historian and advocate of American student organizing.

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