Pubdate: Thu, 08 Mar 2007 Source: Whit, The (NJ Edu) Copyright: 2007 The Whit Contact: http://www.thewhitonline.com/home/lettertotheeditor/ Website: http://www.thewhitonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4447 Author: Carly Romalino Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) LEADS INVESTIGATED IN WHIT THEFT Hundreds of copies of the Rowan University Whit were stolen this week from the Student Center. An anonymous tip to The Whit staff reported nearly 600 copies of the March 1 issue stolen from the Mark M. Chamberlain Student Center some time between Thursday evening March 1, and Monday, March 6. Public Safety investigators are looking into whether The Whits were stolen in response to last week's coverage of two students charged with possession and intent to distribute marijuana. "We know who is responsible for this and Public Safety is investigating them," said Timothy Michener, Director of Public Safety. Public Safety is investigating an e-mail sent to a Whit editor via Facebook, an interactive student Web site. A user identifying herself as female expressed great discontent with the front-page coverage of the marijuana bust in Chestnut Hall because the names of both students charged were printed the day they met with the Dean of Students. "Bigger than theft," Michener pointed out. "There is a freedom of press and a censorship issue." In a Rowan e-mail announcement dated March 7, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, George Brelsford, relayed a message of disgust and intolerance to the Rowan Community. "On behalf of President Farish and the rest of the University's administration I want to express both my outrage and profound disappointment," Brelsford wrote. "That members of our community would attempt such a loathesome act as to attempt to censor the Rowan University Student newspaper in this way." The Whit placed a value of 40 cents on each issue last December in the wake of a rash of nationwide newspaper thefts, as reported by the Student Press Law Center. The total value of 600 copies is estimated at $240. The Whit prints 3,000 copies each week, which costs about $1,100 of Student Government Association money. If convicted of theft, the suspects will pay restitution for the stolen copies and face other Rowan University penalties up to suspension, according to Brelsford. "Theft is theft," Brelsford said. Although the print version of the March 1 issue of The Whit is unavailable from the regular student center distribution bin at this time, students can access all of the print stories are available on the Whit's Web site at http://www.thewhitonline.com. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D