The Main Point is an opinion written by The University Star’s Editorial Board. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of our entire publication.

On Oct. 14, Indiana University fired its student media director and ordered the Indiana Daily Student (IDS) to end all print publications. This was a blatant act of censorship, and it’s one that cannot be ignored.

In the turmoil of today’s political climate, student media is under attack, and it is important — now more than ever — to stand behind student journalists and support their mission.

In recent weeks, the IDS has encountered disputes with university administration. According to editors at the paper, the administration had ordered them to stop printing traditional news coverage in editions of the paper.

Prior to that, the university limited print editions of the paper from weekly to seven special issues per semester. While the IDS website was still able to publish news, eliminating an outlet for news coverage is nothing less than censorship.

When student media director and IDS adviser Jim Rodenbush pushed back against administration and refused to tell his students to cease news publication, he was terminated.

Student media has also come under attack in Texas, notably at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). In early 2025, UTD removed newsstands that held UTD’s student paper, The Mercury, after the paper went on strike over the firing of its editor-in-chief.

In response to the firing of its editor, members of the paper created The Retrograde, a completely independent student-run paper.

Despite efforts to control and silence the voices of students, student media persists, with the goal to continue to serve campuses.

The importance of student media cannot be undermined. In an age where print media is floundering and news deserts are growing, student publications are a vital source of information for not only their university communities, but also the surrounding communities.

Student media works to ensure fair, accurate and transparent coverage of the news, and serves as a launchpad for careers in media. Independence is vital, as it allows students to hold institutions accountable and act as community advocates.

The media should never be nervous about coverage or the pursuit of the truth. If this publications autonomy is violated, they exist only as an approved source of university PR.

Student press should continue to have this freedom, without it, campus communities will lose their advocates.