DePaulia
The
2017 Pacemaker Award Winner
Volume #102 | Issue #28 | May 29, 2018 | depauliaonline.com
Whose First Amendment ? A free press challenged at DePaul
Athletics needs to stop hiding
By DePaulia Editorial Board
By Shane René Sports Editor
The playwright and author Arthur Miller once said, “A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself.” DePaul is, in a sense, a nation in its own right, albeit a smaller one of about 28,000. And we, the students who collectively comprise The DePaulia, are speaking to you when we illuminate what is often misbehavior on the part of the university. The investigative stories that we have written this year are of the utmost importance for the nation of DePaul. As patrons of this university and citizens of its community, it is critical to read beyond what Newsline, the public relations department’s “news” publication, injects into your email accounts. At The DePaulia, we try our best to bring to light the stories that DePaul doesn’t often want students, staff and alumni to know about. But on almost every serious story we’ve reported on, we faced the towering roadblock that is the DePaul University Office of Public Relations and Communications. We don’t back down when public relations officials flex their muscles. We persistently pester them until they inevitably give us a “decline to comment” or a brief, vague statement. In the course of our pursuit of the truth, DePaul stands in our way at every juncture. It took more than seven months for us to be granted an interview with the new president of our university, and even then there was still a public relations official in the room. When we recently reported on racist and insensitive tweets written by Director of University Events Jen Kramer, public relations officials gave us no more information than a written apology from Kramer. She wasn’t mediashy she had been interviewed the week before for a story about graduation See TRANSPARENCY, page 8 snafus, but when we
I would like to expel a somewhat popular myth. Last week, a reader posted a commented on The DePaulia’s story about Romeo Weems’ stunning commitment to the Blue Demons last Tuesday afternoon that began, “And I’m sure the DePaulia folks are mad about this...” I’ve heard and seen this sentiment thrown around a number of times; as if The DePaulia has some age-old grudge against Jean Lenti Ponsetto and her athletic department. This is categorically false, though I suppose I understand the confusion. The DePaulia’s coverage of Lenti Ponsetto’s athletic department and the men’s basketball program in particular hasn’t been flattering, but it’s not supposed to be. That’s not why we’re here. Student-led newsrooms are essential to the health and well-being of college campuses across the country. In most cases, student media represents the only source of objective campus news and, in the case of private schools like DePaul, they can be the only organization to hold university faculty and administrators accountable for their actions. But criticism of university conduct and policy shouldn’t be interpreted as standing against the university. We raise questions and peel back the curtain because we, like any other rational, thinking person, believe that the only way to solve a problem is to first recognize that there is one. That’s why we’re here (see accompanying editorial for more on The DePaulia’s pursuit of transparency). The DePaulia, just like every other campus newspaper in the country, is staffed with students — and that’s a bias we don’t hide. We report with a student perspective on issues that impact the people paying a high premium to better their lives moving forward. Having an athletic department that acts as an effective front porch for the university is a student issue. Having a flagship men’s See ATHLETICS, page 26 basketball program GRAPHIC BY VICTORIA WILLIAMSON | THE DEPAULIA
Major staff layoffs expected By Jonathan Ballew News Editor
Serious layoffs are likely coming to DePaul. DePaul officials said that the process is “not yet finalized” and any staff reductions “would go into effect before July 1,” which is the beginning of the new fiscal year. Several current DePaul employees described to The DePaulia a culture of fear and opacity on the part of the university regarding their employment. Almost all asked to remain anonymous for fear of job security. “I’m hearing there are going to be at least 200 people laid off in June,” said an administrative assistant currently employed by DePaul. The employee said that over the last six months, many of their duties have been “slowly stripped away” from them. They believe it is a calculated effort to make them disposable or subject to termination. “If you take everyone’s work away, you can justify getting rid of them,” they said. “Everybody around the university has been chatting about layoffs,” said one DePaul professor. “Even the security guards are asking me if (my job is safe).” In order to confirm the reality of layoffs, The
DePaulia contacted several key DePaul officials on Wednesday. Instead, The DePaulia received a response on Thursday afternoon from Carol Hughes, from the Office of Public Relations and Communications (OPRC). Hughes referenced the university-approved budget from March that would invest in “strategic growth through major cost-saving measures and reductions in the (2019 fiscal year) budget.” “From its earliest communications about the process, the university has noted that the review and centralization of key financial, administrative and technology functions could result in staffing reductions and that such restructuring changes would go into effect before July 1,” wrote Hughes in an email. Hughes noted that faculty positions would not be a part of the restructuring process. The DePaulia asked Hughes: how many staff members would be terminated, what departments would be affected, how much money would be saved from the staff cuts and how many days notice would be given to terminated staff. “The process is nearing completion, but not yet finalized,” Hughes wrote. “And, as a See LAYOFFS, page 6 result, we have
JOSH LEFF | THE DEPAULIA
Couldn’t make it to FEST this year? Check out our photos and recap on pages 16 & 17.