Mark Cuban, FIRE, and Faculty Condemn Indiana University Over Student Newspaper Censorship

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Prominent Indiana University alumni, national free speech advocates, and faculty organizations are condemning IU administrators after the university abruptly ended the Indiana Daily Student’s print edition and fired its student media director following a dispute over editorial independence.

Student Editors Speak Out

In an interview with The Bloomingtonian, Indiana Daily Student Co-Editors-in-Chief Andrew Miller and Mia Hilkowitz said the student staff had been largely excluded from the decision-making process that led to the print shutdown.

When asked if the university’s long-term “Action Plan for Student Media” might involve integrating the IDS into IU’s marketing or communications departments, Miller said there was no clear indication of that, but noted that the students “aren’t sure exactly what the university is looking for in general.”

The editors also said they were uncertain what Media School Dean David Tolchinsky meant by his frequent use of the word “collaborate” in communications about student media.

“We honestly have no idea,” Miller said. “We haven’t been brought to the table on any decision-making.”

When asked whether Tolchinsky had ever worked as a journalist, Miller replied, “He has not to our knowledge.”

The editors confirmed that the IDS is in contact with lawyers from multiple organizations as it explores legal and organizational steps to preserve its independence under the Student Media Charter.

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IU alumnus and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban publicly rebuked the university on Wednesday, calling the move censorship and revealing that he had personally donated money to support the student newspaper.

“Not happy. Censorship isn’t the way,” Cuban posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I gave money to IU general fund for the IDS last year so they could pay everyone and not run a deficit. I gave more than they asked for. I told them I’m happy to help because the IDS is important to kids at IU.”

Cuban’s comments followed reports that IU fired Jim Rodenbush, Director of Student Media, after he refused to order students to limit their Homecoming print edition to only university-approved topics. Hours later, IU administrators announced the IDS’s print operations were being permanently shut down.

The IDS, which has published continuously since 1867, said it was not consulted or involved in the decision to end print.

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Free Speech Advocates Condemn IU

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) sent a letter Thursday to IU President Pamela Whitten, urging the university to immediately reinstate Rodenbush and restore the IDS’s print edition.

FIRE said IU’s actions appear to be retaliation for the newspaper’s reporting earlier this month on the university’s bottom-three placement in FIRE’s 2025 College Free Speech Rankings.

“Censoring a student publication after it reported on a university’s dismal record on free speech isn’t just a stunning display of lack of self-awareness, it’s a violation of the First Amendment,” said Dominic Coletti, FIRE’s Student Press Program Officer.

“If Indiana University is embarrassed about its terrible showing … it should put down the shovel and start caring more about its students’ constitutional rights than its own image.”

FIRE also launched a “Take Action” campaign encouraging the public to contact IU administrators and demand an end to what it called a “campaign of retaliation and censorship.”

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Faculty Join in Protest

The Indiana University Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) issued a separate statement Thursday condemning the administration’s actions as “a clear attempt at media censorship.”

The faculty group said the directive to remove non-Homecoming news from the IDS edition, followed by Rodenbush’s firing and the print shutdown, were “a blatant violation of First Amendment protections.”

“Financial condition is in no way a sufficient excuse for the blatant violation of First Amendment rights,” the statement read.
“Terminating the print publication only when the editors refused to cower to censorship suggests financial problems were not the reason.”

The AAUP accused IU leadership of a broader pattern of silencing dissent, citing past actions including restrictions on campus protests, the termination of international faculty without due process, and the dismantling of diversity and inclusion offices.

“Director Rodenbush and the Indiana Daily Student have shown themselves out of alignment with a university administration that has consistently silenced dissenting voices,” the AAUP statement said.

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A 158-Year Tradition Threatened

The Indiana Daily Student has been a cornerstone of IU’s journalism program for more than a century, producing generations of professional journalists and photographers. Its print edition has been distributed across the Bloomington campus and city since the 19th century.

The latest move by IU’s administration—coming during Homecoming week and just days after reports of its low free speech ranking—has drawn national scrutiny and sparked debate over the future of student press freedom at public universities.

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A Tradition of Free Speech Under Surveillance

The Indiana Daily Student’s suppression comes as IU prepares for its annual Homecoming Parade, which is scheduled at 5:30 Friday and will end at Dunn Meadow—long regarded as the symbolic heart of free expression on campus. A Homecoming rally is planned there at 7:30 p.m.

Once a gathering place where generations of students exercised their First Amendment rights, Dunn Meadow has come under increasing administrative control. Last year, IU imposed new restrictions requiring preapproval for expressive activity (including protests), reversing decades of open-access policy going back to the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

The change preceded a high-profile incident in spring 2024, when Indiana State Police arrested student protesters in the meadow during demonstrations over the Israel–Palestine war. Snipers were posted on rooftops during the arrests, and the area is now under constant surveillance by security cameras.

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An IU spokesperson said

“Indiana University Bloomington is committed to a vibrant and independent student media ecosystem. As part of the 2024 Action Plan for Student Media, the campus is shifting resources from print to digital media, prioritizing student experiences that are more consistent with today’s digital-first media environment while also addressing a longstanding structural deficit at the Indiana Daily Student. Editorial control remains fully with IDS leadership, and the university will continue to work closely with them to ensure the strength, sustainability and independence of student media at IU.

Indiana University does not comment on individual personnel matters.”

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The Media School Dean Said in a Message Sent to Faculty

“Dear faculty and staff,

I’m writing to share an update on the Action Plan for Student Media (https://mediaschool.indiana.edu/news-events/reports-plans/plan.html), created in October 2024 to ensure the longevity of our student media outlets (including the Indiana Daily Student), maintain their tradition of excellence, and offer the best opportunities and experiences for our students.  
As you may recall, the Action Plan, which was endorsed by IU Bloomington campus leadership, outlines a shift from print to digital platforms. In support of the Action Plan, the campus has decided to make this shift effective this week, aligning IU with industry trends and offering experiential opportunities more consistent with digital-first media careers of the future.  
The aim is also to uphold the IDS charter—which establishes the IDS as a stand-alone financial entity with complete control over its editorial content—while addressing its structural deficit (subsidized by the campus) that has exceeded several hundred thousand dollars annually. 
Student media is central to our school’s identity and the student experience, and I am confident in our new leadership and advising infrastructure under the Action Plan. I look forward to continued collaboration with IDS leadership and our talented faculty and staff to ensure the strength, sustainability and independence of student media at IU.  
Best,
David Tolchinsky”

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