“No free speech without free press.” This was the slogan heard across campus, along with many other chants in protest of the defunding of student media, and other organizations at CWU.  Students, faculty and community members all gathered in front of the SURC this past Wednesday to show their support for the students affected by the budget decisions. Over 300 people protested the proposal of the S&A committee to reallocate these funds. 

Just after noon, Co-Editor-In-Chief of The Observer, Brandon Mattesich, stood in front of students and faculty and explained the severity of the defunding and started the march to Barge Hall. Chanting through the SURC, making their way around campus, students made sure they were heard. 

A multitude of organizations and extracurricular programs have been affected by the decisions made by the S&A committee. The Observer, PULSE Magazine, Theatre Jobs and Film Jobs in the ECC are proposed to be completely or nearly defunded. In a separate decision, Rugby also lost varsity sponsorship at CWU. Students who came here on rugby scholarships will get their scholarships revoked as of this upcoming Fall quarter.  

Students from departments all across campus came to support Student Media at the protest. Many brought their own signs, others took signs provided by the event’s organizers. Environmental science major Mariah Gilmore spoke on the importance of the protest, “Literature is the reason why we do not repeat mistakes in history. We start getting rid of student media, what’s next, books?”

Photos by Brandon Mattesich, Marlene Veveris, Kyley Glenn and Emma Muhlbauer

Former Associate Professor of Journalism, and former advisor for the Observer, Cynthia Mitchell arrived, sign in hand, ready to show her support for the organizations she worked alongside during her 17 years at CWU. “I really urge the Board of Trustees, I know it’s a big step to overturn a student-led S&A committee, but this is misguided, and it’s a fraught political time where it sends the wrong message,” Mitchell said. “To defund student media when other institutions getting S&A funding are swimming in money, and sustaining the 20% cut that they needed to find, is unfair and is an abridgement of students first amendment rights.”

Not only are the proposed budget cuts affecting students, but they are also affecting the professors across many departments. Graphic Design Professor, David Bieloh, spoke on the art department’s connection with some of the defunded organizations. “Not to have a printed newspaper, it makes no sense to me,” Bieloh said. “I think it will hurt our recruitment and our enrollment … I think this will also hurt our communication students and our ability to work in these collaborative efforts.”

Bieloh noted the connection of The Observer and PULSE Magazine as two outlets that are closely intertwined with the art department. Students at the protest shared that the shutting down of these organizations could be detrimental to students majoring in the arts, and that it could put a halt to students’ interest in enrolling in certain majors. 

After marching the protest from Barge Hall back to the SURC, Z Morris, lead graphic designer at The Observer, spoke with spirit to an impassioned crowd. “It’s moments like these that show we are not alone in our fights; we are fighting together. Whether this is your first protest, or your hundredth, your presence carries power,” Morris said.  “You, the students, the faculty and the community members have the power to shape this school … this is not just an attack on journalism, or the arts, or athletics. This is an attack on all of us.”

Freedom of speech is a constitutional right, that includes freedom of the press. On May 15, there will be a Board of Trustees meeting held to decide the fate of the proposed budgets.  Students, staff, faculty and community members stated at the protest that they intend to attend this meeting to show support for the overturning of the proposed budgets.