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Censorship Takes One on The Chin: Campus Newspaper Print Edition Returns

Censorship may be able to knock you down, but it never seems to keep you down—at least, that's what the newly created maxim I call the Tubthumping Principle says. Prime evidence that this exists in nature can be found at Seattle Central Community College, where the Student Press Law Center reports that the previously censored City Collegian student newspaper will return to print

Back in 2008, the City Collegian found itself embroiled in a censorship controversy after publishing several controversial articles, including one that was critical of student government spending. In the end, after its adviser was run out of town on a rail, the paper's funding was cut off, and it was placed under control of an entity called the "Publications Board" which had "general authority" to run the newspaper's operations. The board decided that the paper would only be allowed to exist in an online format.

Fast forward to 2012, and things are starting to change for the (renamed) New City Collegian. The student paper recently announced the return of the print edition, proclaiming "We're Back" in a large headline on the front page. Although this return is only a one-time run funded by a local business, editors at the paper are confident that a regular print edition, funded by ad revenue and student fees, will soon come back to campus.

Congratulations to the New City Collegian. FIRE joins you in your hopes that the print edition will once again become a permanent fixture on campus.

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