I have been following, with great interest, the situation involving The Advocate and the student government. My interest comes, not only because I am a Pitt-Johnstown alumna, but because I have a closer connection to the journalism program. My Dad, Tom Russell, established the journalism program and major, which includes The Advocate. He fought tooth and nail to install and retain the program, with little to no support from faculty or administration.  Over the years it grew into what you have today. It was not easy. But Dad was particularly proud of The Advocate and the students who worked on it over the years.

The Advocate is a community newspaper, and UPJ is the community it serves. The paper covers events and concerns of the community. Among other things, the job of any newspaper is reporting the news – good news, bad news, controversial news and whatever else is deemed important. A crime report is part of that news. The student government-which is also part of the community-and its petitions make no sense. These people whine and complain about students who are picked up on charges such as DUI, theft or drug charges having their names published in the newspaper. It’s embarrassing, and it could negatively influence a possible employer.

Excuse me, but had that possibility never occurred to them before they let their behavior get out of hand?? I taught classes at UPJ for a number of years, and the one thing I could be sure of every term was students crying about being treated like children. They were adults and should be treated like adults. I always responded the same way if you want to be treated like a grown up, act like one. Unfortunately, years later, it seems that the snowflake attitude remains.

I think these folks need to start taking responsibility for their behavior, and they need to know that stupidity will be, and should be, reported for the community to see. It’s time to grow up.

Kathy Russell Beam