Sub-Board I, Inc. notified Generation's Editor in Chief Andrew Blake and the magazine's editorial board on Monday that the publication's charter has been suspended.
According to a memorandum from SBI, its board of directors motioned unanimously for the suspension of the on-campus magazine's charter on April 3.
The board has stipulated that the new editor in chief of Generation will be hired by SBI, rather than voted in by the student editors of the publication as in previous years.
"We suspended their charter to change the process of voting in editor in chief," said Robert Pape, vice president of SBI, University Council student representative and former Spectrum editor in chief. "Although it's technically suspended, they are operating normally: editing, writing and publishing."
Pape cites the content and unresponsive staff of Generation as the force behind the motion to suspend their charter.
Generation, in its suspended charter, had editorial autonomy over content; however, SBI can be sued for published material as the magazine's publisher.
"There has been content that can be seen as offensive and discriminatory. We're not comfortable publishing that kind of content," Pape said. "Some Personals and 'I'm Right, Your Wrong' pieces were offensive to women and to minorities. It was humiliating for SBI to publish that kind of content. We think students deserve better."
Andrew Blake, the editor in chief of the student-run weekly magazine, states that this situation was brought suddenly and without reason.
"I don't think it's right. I've been with the magazine since 2004. I became [editor in chief] last fall," Blake said. "The entire time I have not had single formal complaint brought up to me from anyone outside of Sub-Board. Some time in the fall, Sub-Board approached me with a complaint of content from before I was EIC."
Blake said he would have attended the April 3 meeting, where the decision was made, if given earlier notice.
"I have been invited to the first two board meetings [of the year]. I was invited to one this semester on Friday [April 3, when they unanimously passed the suspension of the charter]," Blake said. "I received an e-mail that was sent on April 1. I couldn't make it. I didn't get to the e-mail until Thursday. I had an interview scheduled."
Blake recalls Pape coming into the office on April 3 to announce the suspension of the magazine's charter.
"On Friday, Pape came in and said, 'We're taking away your charter which means you can't elect an editor in chief,' " Blake said.
The magazine has not been given a written statement explaining the suspension other than a memorandum, because the board has not approved the meeting's minutes yet.
Pape states that there were several mentions to the editorial staff about concerns about the content the magazine was running.
"Andrew was invited to several board meetings. He did show up once, but every time we talked to him, he didn't make an effort to address concerns," Pape said.
Blake claims that this situation was unfairly handled by the SBI, who at one time complained about content in the Sept. 16 issue of the magazine, in which an article about crime in the University Heights was titled "Fear of Heights."
"After three sexual assaults, we wanted students to be careful. Sub-Board [runs the] Anti-Rape Task Force. All we said, more or less, was all this stuff is happening. People need to be safe," Blake said.
He explained that SBI was angry over a segment in the story by Generation Associate Editor Michelle Matthews that stated, "ARTF, however, isn't doing things much differently than their normal operations... The unavailability of services Friday and Saturday night leave the rush of students patronizing Main Street bars and parties on those nights vulnerable."
"Sub-Board was upset over the article," Blake said.
In his opinion, Blake believes SBI, which will have discretion over hiring the new editor in chief of Generation, will now have the power to make changes that the board of directors previously had not been able to do.
"We've been the student voice for 25 years. Now someone will be elected by Sub-Board who may or may not be the best candidate. They want someone to make changes that no one has made in recent years," Blake said. "Now they are going to have their way."
Pape stated that SBI is looking for someone who will heighten the magazine's potential and begin to produce a publication that represents all six student associations on campus, which includes the Undergraduate Student Association and the Graduate Student Association.
"We want the next [editor in chief] to have good, ethical editorial judgment. We are not looking to get rid of Generation's editorial freedom. We are just looking for a leader with new perspective on ethical and just campus journalism," Pape said. "Beyond general problems with Personals, the Generation does not represent all UB students."
The EIC Search Committee, consisting of SBI board members as well as one Generation representative, will hire the new editor in chief.
Matthews will sit through the interview process and provide feedback on the magazine's behalf, Blake said.
Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to the committee at Student Union Suite 341 in the Student Union by 4 p.m. on April 17.
