On Oct. 28, the Free Press reported that the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is considering a possible reorganization. It has been brought to our attention that the article, “CAHS considers reorganization to offset costs,” blended together three issues, and that conclusion was not completely supported by our sourcing.
From subsequent correspondence with Dean Lynn Kuzma of the college, who is quoted in the story, it became clear that she intended for the proposed reorganization of the college to be separate from the fiscal issues that the university is currently facing. It is also not, according to Kuzma, a direct response to or a part of the Direction Package. The article did not reflect the line between these issues that Kuzma draws in correspondence to faculty.
I appreciate the feedback that we received on this story, as we are always striving for accuracy. With that said, being self-critical and acting transparently are essential to progress. Because of the tumultuous and uncertain fiscal reality of the university, it is especially important that we have honest discussions. A heightened level of sensitivity and caution as a result of the economic climate is also understandable; however, in light of the response that we received, we feel the need to say that it is not in the best interest of any group, especially at this time, for us to shape any narrative to promote the interests of any one group or individual.
Certainly, the issues in this story could have been misleading to our readers, and as the editor of this publication, I apologize for that and assure that we treat issues of this kind as opportunities to learn and to grow as journalists.
Our writer’s intention was to tell the truth, and the intention of the editors was to inform the community. Beyond the technical errors that I have already pointed out, I believe that the information within the article is important for the university community to know.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Silvain