Aussie journalism student disciplined by US university after telling a source he did not have to be positive
An Australian journalism student on an exchange in the US has found himself in trouble for trying to write a profile of a hockey coach and telling one of his potential sources in an email that their comment “does not have to be positive”.
Alex Myers was threatened with suspension by the State University of New York College at Oswego after also telling the source that he worked at SUNY Oswego’s office of public affairs when he in fact interned there.
Myers is a fourth year sports journalism student at Charles Sturt.
He faces disciplinary action and was told he was suspended – although this was later withdrawn – over his email.
This is confusing – if he was an intern in the university’s public affairs team, then of course he was working for them. Not only is this a giant overreaction, but also a huge slight on the contribution interns and volunteer staff can make to organisations.
Or was he in fact an exchange student, completing a “class assignment” as Gawker stated?
Either way, poor guy. Come home Alex, where our media is free of bias and overt editorial control! Oh wait…
This is why we have universities and other learning establishments, so that young and/or inexperienced people get the chance to make such mistakes and learn from them.
However, it doesn’t say much for his learning prior to university; there used to be a fairly well constructed framework of simple courtesy when I was a lad, and to have asked such a question in print would have been considered poor taste as well as foolish.
The university has acted as it has, I suspect, because it’s attempting to save its own neck and reputation, I have no doubt that it will be a relief for them that he is a “foreign” student.
Of course, as that man Romney has just shown in flying colours, it is more about winning these days than being honest, wise or showing good taste.
So true, Laura. Come home Alex and be sure to look us up!
Now, that the damage has been done its time for them or him to move on and learn from his mistake.
*cough* “get a rival coaches view” *splutter* *apostrophe* Is that a verbatim quote?
The university’s disciplinary action is warranted in the context of the course. The student was clearly leading (i.e. suggesting) the interviewee to provide a possibly nonobjective perspective. Hopefully, the Aussie student will return to Oz knowing the difference between real journalism and the sensationalist media “opinion” he is uncountably accustomed.
Storm in a teacup.
Charles who?
How dare a bright eyed student ask a respondent for real views – what was he thinking! But at least the culprit is aware how the world is becoming so sanitised through political correctness and people now being offended by the most trivial things!