At a school with a population of more than 30,000, the only way everyone can stay well-informed is if everyone acts as the media.
Often, we are asked why the Chronicle didn’t cover this or that. Usually, the answer is that we didn’t receive a tip about it.
A few weeks ago, there was a report made to security of an alleged employee masturbating on campus. This is the sort of incident that everyone should be aware of. However, security shares only what is required by law (which isn’t much), and the students who reported that incident never spoke to the paper.
More recently, the MS building was locked down because of a shots fired report. The Chronicle investigated the incident thoroughly, but security and administration refused to release any details as to what happened, which has left the entire CNM community vulnerable.
Even the lockdown itself was a hazardous situation. Some students thought it was a building evacuation, some just milled about the hallway confused, many and others didn’t even know something was wrong.
Clearly, students are not being well-informed by administration – even when ignorance poses a serious safety risk. It is in this arena especially that a new source becomes invaluable. We want to keep the public informed on the good and the bad because, in the end, knowledge truly is power.
Staff, faculty and especially students: tell us when you notice something strange on campus. Don’t let fear of retribution keep you quiet. We can say confidently from experience that while administration may not always be happy about what is printed, they respect free speech and won’t dole out punishment to those who speak up.
Come to the office, call us, or send us an email. News is a collaborative process; we can’t do it without you.
