The Student Press Law Center and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sent a second joint letter Aug. 25 to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville officials.
SIUE did not provide the substantive response requested in the Aug. 12 letter, nor did they accept the offer of free assistance by SPLC and FIRE.
“We are disappointed you have failed to address our concerns and have not even attempted to work productively with us to improve the atmosphere for the student press at SIUE,” the letter states.
The dispute arose after SIUE’s communications director required her presence during interviews between The Alestle and university employees, describing the requirement as “non-negotiable.” SPLC and FIRE have asked SIUE to confirm by Sept. 1 that it will stop conditioning interviews on a communications representative’s presence or blanket preapproval.
The original letter requested a response by Aug. 20, 2026, and a meeting with representatives from the university and The Alestle the week of Sept. 7, but the university did not respond.
Related coverage in The Alestle and the university’s response to that coverage:
- BREAKING: ‘An attempt to control the story:’ Admin demands presence in some Alestle interviews (July 20, The Alestle)
- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: An open letter to the university (July 27; Paula Bridges, Executive Director of University Marketing and Communications)
- LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Setting the record straight on admin’s claims (July 27; Dylan Hembrough, Editor-in-Chief, The Alestle)
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