Recent events have jeopardized The Indiana Daily Student’s independence. We at the DI support its commitment to #150more years of independent journalism.

Here at The Daily Iowan, we pride ourselves not only in our nearing 150-year legacy — we also highly value our status as an independent student newspaper. Because we are financially and editorially independent from the university, we can report on important campus issues, such as discrimination and sexual assault, without gatekeepers.

We understand the necessity of independent reporting, which is why we stand in solidarity with The Indiana Daily Student of Indiana University. Founded in 1867, recent decisions at the Indiana University Media School have jeopardized its editorial independence — a quality that, especially when reporting on powerful institutions, is the backbone of undiluted media coverage.

Tell us why the IDS, its 150-year dedication to independent student journalism and its commitment to #150more is important to you. 1/3

— Indiana Daily Student (@idsnews) November 2, 2017

Unfortunately, the newspaper industry is not the most lucrative business, and strain between the Daily Student and the Media School is partly due to this fact. Recognizing the newspaper’s looming financial problems, newsroom adviser and Director of Student Media Ron Johnson suggested downsizing to biweekly publication during the 2015-16 academic year. Media School Dean James Shanahan put down the idea for fear of concern from alumni.

After agreeing to a 10 percent pay cut earlier this year wasn’t enough, Johnson announced his resignation for Jan. 1, 2018.

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But this wasn’t soon enough for the dean of the Media School, and the mounting tension between school and the newspaper culminated in Shanahan forcing Johnson to move his Jan. 1 resignation date to Dec. 1.

“What sounds like a simple change of plans by a month speaks volumes to students, staff, and alumni,” Editor-in-Chief Jamie Zega said.

The Daily Student’s independence means that while it does employ a newsroom adviser, the student editor-in-chief has the final say on all decisions. The Media School’s failure to promptly inform the newspaper staff of the decision to hire an interim adviser is
extremely alarming.

Even more disturbing is the possibility of the dean revisiting the newspaper’s charter, which was born out of an alliance with the late-Chancellor Gros Louis, “who fiercely believed in freedom of the press.”

This and the dean’s use of authority in moving up Johnson’s resignation date is a slippery slope to loss of editorial independence.

RELATED: Shanahan: Why I’m a journalism major in the Trump era

We agree with the Daily Student’s Editorial Board: “That can’t happen.”

That can’t happen because, as an independent newspaper, it is not “the university’s public-relations firm.” In order to write important stories, the newspaper’s staff cannot be at mercy to the university’s agenda.

Again, the newspaper industry at all levels is experiencing financial problems. Journalists don’t go into this business to make money. They don’t write stories about institutional injustices because it will make them popular.

As independent publications, staff at the Daily Student and us at The Daily Iowan do this work because we firmly believe it matters. Because we believe it is necessary. Because we don’t believe another way is an option for the work that we do.

The financial burdens and recent administrative oversight of the Daily Student pose an imminent threat to that.

Toward the end of her letter, the paper’s editor-in-chief said, “A lot of our independence rides on ‘ifs.’ But we need allies now. We need the support from you, readers, to ensure that the IDS stays independent.”

From one independent student newspaper to another, The Indiana Daily Student has an ally in us at The Daily Iowan.

We join you in fighting
for #150More.