University of Toledo officials have given the editor in chief of the Collegian, UT’s student newspaper, two choices: quit your outside job at the city newspaper or lose your university stipend.
Collegian editor in chief Keith Tarjanyi, who also works as a temporary news assistant at The Toledo Blade, was informed through letters from UT’s dean of students that he would have to quit his job at the local paper to continue being paid approximately $9,500 a year for his work on the school paper.
A similar letter was sent to UT student Shannon Phillips, president of Campus Activities and Programming.
While the policy against outside employment was on the books prior to the students assuming their campus roles, the policy was not clearly spelled out when he started as Collegian editor and has not been enforced against other students who have held outside jobs, according to Tarjanyi.
UT officials have admitted that both students have performed their campus jobs well, but say that they are simply following university policy.
At least some members of the UT community smell sour grapes and claim that the policy is being selectively enforced against Tarjanyi in response to editorials critical of the administration that have run in the Collegian.
UT’s faculty union, the American Association of University Professors, unanimously passed a resolution March 1 objecting to the school’s actions.
“UT-AAUP strongly supports the editorial independence of The Collegian and strenuously objects to the selective enforcement of the rules against the editor.”
Tarjanyi has vowed not to give up either position.