It is deeply concerning that we are seeing a resurgence in censorship. Whether on a national scale, with Sally Rooney’s books being banned from UK bookshops, or at universities, with a recent survey from the Student Publication Association (SPA) finding that 27 per cent of student publications lacked full editorial independence from their publishers. This interference ranged from work being edited, to complete bans on publishing work that criticises the university or student union.
It’s clear universities and unions have financial and legal concerns, but this is no excuse for the censorship of student voices. Often it seems that they are simply attempting to prevent criticism of their own institutions and teams, as well as keep potentially damaging information out of the public eye. Student unions should not be allowed to intimidate or discourage students from publishing potentially vital and concerning information, such as reports of sexual assault or misconduct within unions.
The undeniable result is that the power of student journalism is weakened, making it feel at times almost pointless when the local experiences and teams that affect publications and their readers the most can’t even be discussed. Many university publications are financially dependent on their unions for the funding and support they need to continue their work. For these newspapers, the possibility of having their support or funding withdrawn hangs heavily over their work and not many have the possibility to become independent from their publishers. Because of this it’s possible that not just already written articles are censored, but that countless important stories and issues are going unreported due to fears of repercussions.
As someone who writes for and is part of a team that publishes articles weekly, both scrutinising and praising different aspects of the university, I have experienced first-hand how important it is for our press to be independent of the university so that we are free and unafraid to tackle the issues we care about. Our voices and perspectives as students are so important to hear, and as issues with the university, such as cuts, redundancies, and financial complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, become more common, well-researched, independent press has never been more important. I am proud to write for my newspaper, and I can only hope that changes will be made for other students across the country.
University of Birmingham – panoramio by Tanya Dedyukhina is licensed under CC BY 3.0
