KENTUCKY — Thereason for empty newspaper racks at Elizabethtown Community and TechnicalCollege remains unknown as campus security and student newspaper staffers continuesearching for a cause.
Amanda Donhoff, editor in chief of The Street, said the February issue of the monthly publicationdisappeared approximately three days after being distributed around campus inan apparent theft. Donhoff estimates that between 1,500 and 1,700 of the 2,000copies printed were removed from 20 racks around the campus.
“Security was able to secure some images, but we haven’tbeen able to catch who it is,” Donhoff said, adding that “two young gentlemen”are seen removing the newspapers on surveillance video.
Campus security confirmed that an investigation is takingplace, but would not provide further comment.
Suzanne Darland, former adviser to The Street, said this is the first time the newspaper has beenstolen from the racks.
“I’ve talked with security and the dean and our facilitiesmanager and made sure they understood that this was important,” Darland said.“They’ve conveyed to me that this is important, and they’d like to find thosewho did it, but we don’t really know what to do next.”
Darland said she looked back through the issue with Donhoffto see if any of the articles could be considered controversial, but didn’tfind anything that someone might try to prevent others from seeing.
“I can tell you that I’m very sure that it wasn’t anythingadministratively,” Darland said, adding that she feels the administration istreating the situation seriously.
Donhoff said TheStreet now prints that the first issue is free and 50 cents for eachadditional issue, which it did not do before.
Mike Hiestand, consulting attorney with the Student Press Law Center, said printing the disclaimermainly helps police understand that there is value to the paper, even though itis distributed for free.
Darland said the March issue of The Street is out now and there have been no problems, but the newspaperstaff is on the lookout for a similar situation.