Editorial: Penn State stages another strike at student journalism

On Wednesday night, Penn State took a stand. Actually, it took 35 of them.

It removed the newsstand racks and copies of the Daily Collegian from dozens of University Park campus buildings.

The university insists this had nothing to do with squelching the independent student newspaper’s First Amendment rights.

“The display of the paper version of the Daily Collegian is permitted, as the university supports free news and information sources specifically for its students,” said Director of University Public Relations Wyatt DuBois.

“The university is not challenging the Collegian’s distribution of newspapers on the racks or otherwise; it is prohibiting the sale by the Collegian of advertising space on University premises that is occurring outside the actual publication of its newspaper,” he said.

At issue was an advertisement on three stands for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Six others had an advertisement encouraging voter registration.

Perhaps Penn State’s math department can explain how three plus six equals 35.

While the university clutches its pearls and expresses shock over those accusing it of suppressing the Collegian’s freedom of the press, perhaps it can explain why 29 unrelated racks disappeared. Then it can explain why the newspapers were also removed.

Then there’s the fact that this is just the latest link in a chain of actions that appear to stifle campus journalism. Last year, Penn State cut its contribution to the Collegian’s budget. This year, it does not contribute at all.

That’s quite a pivot from a university with a journalism program that teaches thousands of tuition-paying students how to push for transparency, how to challenge power and how to advocate for the people as journalists. Is this what Donald Bellisario thought he was supporting when he donated the money that put his name on the School of Communications?

It also speaks to an overall climate of pushing back on the First Amendment on campus. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression listed Penn State as 228th in its annual free speech rankings for 2025 with a “below average” rating.

The racks were returned to their places Friday. What will be harder to return is trust in the university’s commitment to student journalists’ ability to do their jobs and students’ freedom to read the news.