Emporia State University’s student-run newspaper was honored Friday as one of two in Kansas receiving recognition from the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government.
Coalition board member Max Kautsch presented The Bulletin with its 2018 “Above and Beyond” award for the newspaper’s coverage of an international student’s struggles to cope with a university investigation of longtime professor Brian Schrader. The student detailed the student’s allegations of misconduct against the professor and the university’s initial decision to keep Schrader in the classroom before placing him on administrative leave as of March 28.
Editor-in-Chief Rayna Karst says they are proud to have been a leader for change.
Managing editor Allie Crome says it’s a great honor.
Former editor-in-chief Sarah Spoon, who authored the original Feb. 15 article says it’s not about the award, but rather about giving voice to the victim.
The Bulletin’s report on Schrader’s discipline also came amid another challenge as the ESU student government announced it was considering a 12 percent cut for the newspaper’s funding each of the next four years.
The Sunshine Coalition is a statewide organization of journalism and law professors, members of the news media and other private citizens committed to promoting open government in Kansas. The Bulletin joined Wichita State’s Sunflower newspaper as this year’s recipient of the “Above and Beyond” awards.
