ae - conferences, March 6, 1981 feature - ‘We’re so bored with C-U-P’ | Tom Schoenewolf former Other Press editor, and Surj Rattan, Capilano Courier news writer, express their discontent with the conceptions that govern Canadian . Universitv Press. The Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Other Press or Capilano Courier. When we became mem- bers of Canadian University Press (CUP) last Septem- ber, we had the illusion that the organization was a de- mocratic, co-operative that was serving the best inte- rests of the student press in Canada By working within the guidelines set by the orga- nization, by means of nati- onal news and features ex- changes, house organs, discussions with member papers, we _ have come to the conclusion _ phasizing the rights that CUP is hypocritical and subjective in its approach to news coverage, as well as idiology. Every student that joins one of the 60 CUP news- papers must automatically subscribe to a set of prin- ciples outlined by the orga- nization. Through this Code of Ethics, CUP dictates to its student journalists what to be and what to write. CUP claims that : ‘‘The major role of the student press is to act as an agent of social change, assisting stu- dents in understanding and mobilizing against exploita- tion and injustice wherever it may be found, and em- and responsibilities of the stu- dent. :.*) We don’t agree with this type of dictatorship over editorial policies of indi- vidual papers. CUP’s Edi- tor’s manual says that the duties of an editor is to: “‘ensure that the newspaper is aware of and respects the CUP Code of Ethics...’’ Can’t a student report the news objectively without being an ‘“‘agent of social change.’’ Obviously not, according to CUP. At the 43 rd national CUP conference (CUP 43 ) held in Quebec in December, motions were passed en- couraging member papers, in their capacity as agents social change, to make their readers aware of issues such as Apartheid regimes in South Africa and sexual harrassment on campuses. Idealism as a concept in terms of social injustice is not a bad idea per se. But when CUP starts to dictate what the contents of a paper shoud be, it obviously be- comes a blatant form of censorship in what gets printed in the Canadian student press. The ironic aspect is that CUP claims to be demo- cratically structured. In their own words: ‘‘it is a basic premise that all news- Papers acquiring member- ship in Canadian University Press do so because it is a truly democratic organaza- tion...” How can an orga- nization that influences newspaper content claim to be democratic when it goes by a ‘‘do as I say, not as I do’’ attitudes CUP’s Edi- tor’s Manual states: ‘‘Free- dom of the campus press still must be defended from those who feel that a good press is a controlled press.’’ We find it appalling that CUP can make such a hypocritical statement. Who here is controlling the campus press? CUP is definitely a radical organization. Dirk Beck, in an opinion piece which ap- peared in The (SFU’s student paper) Feb- ruary 13 issue, summed up radical ideoligy by stating: ‘the pattern is all too familiar. Some courageous individual or collective, dis- satisfied with the state of affairs, will set out to chan- ge them, the ‘Word’ spreads, the flock grows, and over a period of time, original ideals are corrup- ted, taken to extremes, or obliterated by fashion.’’ ‘CUP is hypocritical and subjective in its approach to news coverage’ Peak’s - CUP is no exception. As agents of social change they encourage the student press to support other groups acting in the same interests toward social injustices. CUP is presently boycot- ting, among other things, commercial banks and Car- ling-O’Keefe breweries for their alleged investments in South Africa, and encou- raging student councils a- cross the country to do the same. However, at CUP 43 the membership passed a motion to apply to com- mercial banks ( as a last resort) to secure monies to launch a national advertis- ing co-op to replace Youth- stream Canada, Ltd. When The Other Press the future of the organaza- tion is threatened (CUP cannot survive without nati- onal advertising revenue) all principles that govern operations seem to be lost. This is a simply amazing action on behalf of CUP; an organization that is so stronly dedicated to social system that it is so highly critical, of. It appears to be a case of biting the hand that feeds. CUP is also hypocritical and subjective toward its concept on the issue of sexism. cally states: sexual bias or ‘“‘racial and prejudice Agents of social change? change, and a perfect ex- ample of ideals becoming corrupted by the radical process. As a supposedly demo- cratic organization, CUP fails to realize that demo- cracy breeds capitalism, free enterprise, and profit motivation. These elements often lead to social injusti- ces, particularily in third world countries. We are not so naive that we fail to rea- lize that the world contains injustices. But in a capi- talistic society it is simply not possible to change the system or the injustices involved within. History has repeatedly shown that revolutions occur where people have very minute freedoms and material wealth. But in the capi- talistic structure, with its -high degree of apathy, peo- ple possess freedoms and wealth that they are not willing to sacrifice. this is a realism and one that is not going to change through boycotts and _ subjective news coverage to expose these problems. It is hard to criticise a bank that alle- gedly invests in South Africa when you belong to an organization that is willing, if necessary, to use the services offered by that bank. CUP must remember that it operates within the should have no place in the editorial policy of the news- paper.’’ Sexism is a very controversial issue within the membership of CUP. At CUP conferences, sexism is discussed by way of sepa-_ rate men’s and womens caucuses, followed by a joint caucus. At CUP 43, concern was expressed by several women that instan- ces of sexual harrassment “were occuring at the confe- rence (the men engaged in highly competitive soccer games that some women felt they could not partici- pate in). After hours of heated debate, a committee was struck encouraging de- legates to report any inci- dents of sexual harrass- ment. If such a report was brought to the attention of the committee, the commit- tee would then take an educational rather than dis- ciplinarian approach _ to the parties involved. How- ever, the committee consis- ted of a majority of women. since they felt that sexual harrassment is a women’s problem. The fact is that it is not only a women’s issue but a men’s issue as well, since sexual harrassment rarely occurrs without the _involvement of both parties. the code specifi- — page seven By selecting a majority of women for the committee CUP was itself proposing a form of sexism. CUP also considers it immoral to refer to any women as a ‘girl’ or to use any term that is sexually discriminating (chairman vs chairperson, rentalsman vs rentalsperson, etc.) Ironic- ally, in the CUP 43 song- book, a song entitled ‘*Show Us the Length”’ uses the term girl seven times. the song also contains lines which may be defined as sexist by the organization. How hypocritical can you get? ‘original ideals are corrupted, taken to extremes, or obliterated by fashion’ CUP considers it to be in bad taste to view the ana- tomy of the opposite sex, or :o make comments in refe- cence to certain parts of the body. CUP, with its right- zous and ‘holier than thou’ attitude appears to overlook basic nature that causes the attraction of the male and female sex of any species. Looking at the opposite sex joes not necessarily insinu- ate a sexist point of view. The reason we are so critical of Canadian Univer- sity Press is because we are concerned with the future trend of Canadian student journalism and the effect it could have on the commer- cial press. CUP is a large organi- zation and has great poten- tial to ensure objective newswriting and complete freedom of the press. CUP would benefit the student press by re-examining and updating its statement oj principle rather than en- couraging student journa- lists to be ‘agents of social change’. As we see it, it bolils down to encouraging the increase of realists, not idealists, among Canadian student journalists. In the _ organizational ‘structure of Canadian Uni - versity Press, this may not be entirely possible because as Beck put it: ‘‘The only counterforce to these pen- dulous social movements is a rational mind, and unfor- tunately, history gives no reason to believe that rea- son will prevail. And if that’s the way it’s going to be, friends, start the revo- lution without us.”’