Western’s University Student Council (USC) has still not made a decision regarding the office space of the campus newspaper, the Western Gazette, following a meeting between the two parties on Jan. 23.
“The Gazette office [is] still not off the table and they [have] to review the space needs of all other operations first,” Gloria Dickie, Gazette editor-in-chief said via email.
“This was not communicated before and the issue was presented as [the use of space by the] Gazette OR multi-faith, not Gazette or every other USC operation.”
Dickie said that the Gazette’s senior management felt the USC was “backtracking” during the Jan. 23 meeting on their assertions that the multi-faith groups needed more space. However, she said she’s confident that the space needs of the Gazette are sufficient enough to warrant the room.
The USC responded to claims that they were trying to limit press freedom on campus in a press release.
“It has been insinuated that the USC has ulterior motives for its examination of spaces on the 2nd floor of the [University Community Centre]. This discussion is not about limiting the press. It is about allocating space to meet the needs of as many students as possible,” USC president Adam Fearnall wrote.
“The USC concedes that the messaging of our decision has been poorly communicated and we hope to make amends for this by re-engaging with all stakeholders to make the right decision for students,” it read.
Discussions arose in early January about the allocation of student-occupied university space. The USC proposed to move the editorial office of the Gazette and reallocate the space to meet the needs of multi-faith student groups.
Dickie had previously agreed to meet with Fearnall and the leaders of the university’s multi-faith groups on Jan. 17.
The Gazette reported that the consultation was fruitful and the USC discovered that the needs of Western’s multi-faith groups are largely being met. Fearnall told the Gazette that it is not USC’s preference to uproot the office but it is still a possibility.
“We will not have any confirmation over whether we will keep this office for next year until March,” Dickie said.
