The Quadrangle Student Newspaper.
@THEQUADRANGLE/FACEBOOK
By Laili Shahrestani, Staff Writer
Faculty and student government reflected on the role of The Quadrangle’s student journalism on campus over the past 100 years, and how they believe it impacts the policies and awareness of the student body at MU.
Faculty members hold multiple views when it comes to The Quadrangle’s news coverage. While some faculty members advocate for student journalism, other members argue that it may need to be more monitored.
Margaret Goarke, Ph.D., emphasized her admiration and support for The Quadrangle.
Groarke is a political science professor at MU and has been working at the institution for the past 25 years.
She explained how the voices of student journalists are crucial to the structure of the university, and how it is important to have an outlet for students to spread transparency on certain campus issues.
“I think students need a source of information other than solely from the university,” Groarke said. “Sometimes, the university chooses not to give out any information, or sometimes students may have a different perspective on whatever is being discussed. So, to have a forum where student journalists can find out things, and can solicit the opinions of different people on campus is crucial.”
Groarke went on to express that even with the criticism from certain faculty and administration surrounding the coverage of The Quadrangle, she still believes that it is a crucial asset to MU, and keeps everybody knowledgeable on what is happening around them.
Groarke spoke about how student journalism cultivates a transparent and open environment, in which readers of The Quadrangle will be ensured to receive news that they may need to be aware of.
“The administration wouldn’t have wanted any reporting on last year’s layoffs or budget cuts,” Groarke said. “I know the administration often complains about The Quad’s coverage, but I’ve been here for 25 years, and I think the quality of The Quad has improved greatly in the last 10 years. I think it’s very reliable now. I think people may complain about the coverage because they would prefer that nobody said whatever was said, but that is not the same thing as saying that the coverage is inaccurate.”
Colin Ratner, a senior and the executive vice president of student government, added onto the idea that The Quadrangle serves as a source where individuals can obtain information on what is happening around them with complete clarity. He mentioned how he believes that student journalism at MU is critical to maintaining an authentic environment.
“The Quadrangle offers a little bit of transparency that was much needed, even if it’s not always comforting, it offers an opportunity to shine a light on places that definitely need some light to be shined on,” Ratner said.
Ratner also went on to speak about how The Quadrangle not only provides the student body with openness but also prioritizes the voices and ideas coming from its sources. He expresses that this allows the audience to grasp whatever the story is trying to convey.
“The Quadrangle does a great job of getting people’s opinions, getting to the truth and getting authentic ideas,” Ratner said. “That is something that needs to stay, and I think [The Quadrangle] does a great job of doing that, especially when it comes to reporting news, and getting faculty or students to comment on certain ideas.”
The Quadrangle has also had an extensive history of reporting on events that bring awareness to safety concerns either on or around campus.
In February 2020, an incident occurred when an unidentified male broke into a student’s room in Overlook Manor, a former off-campus residence hall.
Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC and former interim president of MU, acknowledged how The Quadrangle has emphasized campus safety issues with its coverage over the years to keep Jaspers safe.
Gardner added that The Quadrangle’s reporting on safety concerns sparked discussions within the university, which ultimately led to the implementation of more reliable security measures.
“The Quadrangle was instrumental in beginning the process to have an independent campus security committee, which was set up between faculty, students, and staff,” Gardner said. “This came as a direct result of an incident that happened in an Overlook Manor dormitory. The Quadrangle covered and really exposed a fatal flaw in security at the time. As a result of this, a security committee was created, and I think it’s worked very well over the years to help create a greater sense of well-being.”
Ratner discussed how The Quadrangle’s presence on campus has significantly impacted his decision-making process as the executive vice president. He emphasized that the pressure from student journalism motivates him to strive for excellence and growth within his position.
“I absolutely do feel pressure from student journalism, because it forces me to follow through and execute ideas at the highest level that I can,” Ratner said. “The tough love can push us to do better, to reach for the stars and to go for it. Without somebody watching what we do, anyone can kind of get away with anything, so I think student journalism is incredibly important.”
Ratner also went on to speak about how The Quadrangle creates a space to highlight individuals for their successes. He mentioned how over the past few years, there have been an abundance of talented Jaspers around campus who were able to showcase their skills through coverage provided by student journalism.
“We are in the busiest place in the world, so being able to highlight individuals that are great for our community, and that are impacting Manhattan University to become better is incredibly important,” Ratner said. “I think The Quadrangle does a great job of bringing attention and transparency to them.”
Over the past century, The Quadrangle has created an outlet for awareness toward issues that are correlated with MU, the students, and surrounding areas. Ratner advocated for student journalism to continue its legacy at the university, given the fact that it represents the protection of freedom of speech.
“I absolutely think The Quadrangle is incredibly important, especially in a country where our First Amendment of the United States is to protect our freedom of speech,” Ratner said “So having a student-run newspaper gives students the opportunity to be free to voice their perspectives, to voice their concerns and to voice their great achievements.”