Dijkgraaf praises independent press in higher education

“We are hearing disturbing noises about the increasing intimidation of journalists of the independent university media,” Rosanne Hertzberger (NSC) said last night in a consultation with the minister. “We are hearing how journalists are being denied access to public meetings and how editors in chief are being ordered by administrators to remove articles.”

She did not think it was a good trend. “What is threatening is that soon all university coverage will contain only good news with happy glowing articles telling pretty stories. I like to paraphrase George Orwell: Journalism is publishing what someone doesn’t want published and everything else is PR.”

University journalism is a “crucial element of democracy [BA1] in our educational institutions,” Hertzberger said. The press can also keep an eye on the quality of education, she believes. “Therefore, we would like to know from the minister how he can guarantee the journalistic freedom of these university journals.”

Pressing issue

She was joined by Luc Stultiens (GroenLinks-PvdA). “I think they are very good questions. I'm happy to tackle this pressing issue, which we have addressed ourselves.”

Stultiens submitted written questions about the situation at the Delft University of Technology, which Hertzberger also referred to in her contribution. The Delta media platform had to remove a piece on social safety because of the administration. Delta was also denied access to a public meeting on social safety at the university.

But there are also occasional incidents elsewhere. Recently, the Eindhoven University magazine Cursor got into a dispute with the board because of an article about possible conflicts of interest of the new rector. The editor-in-chief had to resign and the website went dark in protest.

There was also an issue at the Hogeschool van Arnhem and Nijmegen. The online platform SAM featured a column about “bullshit jobs” and the director of communication was so angry about it that he insisted on placing his reaction above it.

Two tracks

In his response, Dijkgraaf pursued two paths simultaneously. He praised journalism but said he did not want to interfere. “Independent journalism and freedom of the press are a great thing, especially in academic debate,” he told the House of Representatives. “We often talk about that academic freedom.”

But should he himself intervene? Dijkgraaf: “That academic freedom is something that the academic community itself should stand for, and an academic press is a very good way to keep people on their toes. So it’s important that editors of university and college newspapers can operate independently.”

So no, the minister is staying out of it. “It is the responsibility of institutions to guard that journalistic independence and not let it become a PR newspaper.”

Address

“I find the concerns that have been raised worrying,” the minister underlines. According to him, the incidents show “that some institutions are struggling with this.” He addresses the administrators of colleges and universities on this. “I did that again the other day. Then I am also told that it is something that people want to actively engage in and continue to discuss.”

It won’t be up to him, he wants to make clear. “I wholly subscribe to the importance of this. I think it’s a great element of the culture of our universities and colleges to have such an independent press and, by the way, it’s also a very good breeding ground for aspiring journalists, I’ve seen.”

At that last comment, he laughed. NSC MP Rosanne Hertzberger was once a staff member of the Leiden University magazine Mare and became a columnist for the daily newspaper NRC. She is married to journalist Arjen van Veelen, who also started at Mare.

Circle of editors-in-chief

At the end of April, the Circle of Editors-in-Chief of university and college media sent a letter to the minister. “Time and again the problem arises from boards and corporate directors who put pressure on editors,” it says. “And there is always outrage, for example, from one of your predecessors, Jet Bussemaker, and from yourself.”

“We ask you as a (outgoing) minister to give back journalistic freedom to the college and university magazines as a final achievement,” the letter concludes. But the minister is leaving it to others.