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COMMENT: Why The Gown needs an exclusive office to build on its continued success
President Shane Brogan will bring this argument to Management Board tomorrow on behalf of The Gown editorial team and Gown Trust. Gown management met with Union and University officials last Friday to discuss the ongoing issues between the independent newspaper and the Union, which have caused significant difficulties for the newspaper to continue operating as normal. As part of the clubs and societies review, the Union is proposing to move The Gown from their office on the 3rd floor of the Union into a shared office. The Gown team is still suspended and members have been denied access since Monday 15th March.
UPDATE: The suspension imposed on The Gown from their office on Monday 15th March was lifted at this evening’s Management Board meeting.
There are obvious traditional and historical reasons as to why we believe The Gown should remain in an exclusive office, mainly due to the paper enjoying the usage of an office in the Union for decades. But The Gown editorial team and Gown Trust are adamant that the future survival of the newspaper depends on the continued use of an exclusive office. The internal affairs of a newspaper are by their nature private and confidential, and it is unthinkable to expect the independent student newspaper to share space which would compromise the very essence of its existence. This year The Gown’s current office has been used daily by a core team of 10 members, a wider voluntary body of 50, and a focal point of reference for hundreds of occasional student writers, not to mention whistle blowers, morning, noon and night.
BY CATHERINE WYLIE
You will see from the sign-in file at the ground floor reception just how often this year’s volunteers made use of the 3rd floor office. As editor, I can confirm that each and every time the key was signed out, it was to genuinely work on the development and furthering of the newspaper, with hours upon hours of work going into keeping the publication fortnightly and the website updated as often as possible (The website has been updated daily for the majority of the academic year). I would be confident in saying that the small space taken up by The Gown on the top floor of the Union was possibly one of the most utilised spaces in the Union, and the most productive in terms of helping students and providing a service, this academic year. Without an exclusive office, but instead a shared environment, I would very much doubt if The Gown could continue in its present form of steadily returning to its glory days of former decades.
A newspaper office is notoriously busy and fast, and can be often disruptive, noisy, untidy, and high spirited. It would be unfair for the Union to expect any club, society or organisation to share with The Gown. Again, as editor, I have been in the office almost daily all year (up until the ban) and can vouch for what goes on in the daily running of the paper and its office. We have archives that go back to the 1950s, we have a selection of books left by editors and reporters in days gone by, we have a large amount of space dedicated to the business and financial side of the newspaper, and we talk, discuss, deliberate, debate, have differences of opinion and generally spend 100% of the time being very vocal. A shared office environment accommodating The Gown and another organisation would not be a productive working space for that organisation due to constant interruptions. The suggestion that each would have dedicated hours of working so that they would never be in the office at the same time is a nonsensical suggestion due to both the nature of breaking news and the total confidentiality expected by whistle blowers, and indeed anyone at all who speaks to Gown volunteers about any issue. To expect anyone to share with The Gown, whether it is on the basis of restricted and dedicated hours is simply unacceptable and would lead to inevitable clashes which would become problematic for sabbatical teams for years to come. It would eradicate any good faith or strengthened relations encouraged by a memorandum or document signed between The Gown and the Union, and as this year has shown, a particularly rocky relationship and bad feeling between the two is very stressful for all involved, and is therefore to be avoided at all costs.
The Gown has had an important presence on campus for 55 years, and has become a widely known and revered publication. Not only does it act as an independent voice for the student body, but it provides invaluable experience for a vast number of QUB students in the fields of journalism, business, advertising, design, and photography. The paper has been, de facto, an acting School of Journalism at Queen’s for over half a century, and has been an influential launch pad for innumerable successful journalists, both at home and abroad. There has been more editions published this year than in any other year, and we see the newspaper going from strength to strength from this point onwards. The success of the plethora of previous Gown writers is evidence that it is a fantastic beginning for anyone who wants to pursue a career in journalism, and an outlet that should be encouraged rather than quashed. Professor Gregson echoed these sentiments at our re-launch earlier in the academic year.
We ask you to put aside any ill-feeling you have for this year’s editorial team and volunteers, and instead focus your attentions on the fact that next year, and beyond, will bring fresh editorial teams that all have one common goal. That is to emulate the enviable successes of previous Gown volunteers who went on to realise their hopes of succeeding in the cut throat world of journalism. Keep this tradition at QUB alive and re-instate the independent voice which sparks healthy debate and makes the Students’ Union feel like a Students’ Union.
The above statement is supported by The Gown editorial team and Gown Trust:
The Trust consists of:
Brian Garrett (lawyer and former Circut Court judge),
Ian Hill (Travel Writer),
Brendan Keenan (Economics Editor, Independent Group),
Liam McAuley (former Irish Times letters editor)
David McKittrick (London Independent Ireland correspondent)
Conor O’Clery (chairman and former Irish Times foreign correspondent).
Tags: Catherine Wylie, Gown, newspaper, Queen's, queen's university, student, students
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
The proposal to use the Gown office for storage of Clubs and Societies materials should be seen for what it clearly is - a transparently specious justification for undermining the privacy and independence of a long established and valuable organ of the student voice.
If anyone genuinely needs storage I am sure there are other places that they can use; I know the building well and there are many nooks and crannies that can be used. If it is said that areas of the building have asbestos in them, then this is in clear breach of the Health and Safety At Work (1978) Order as well as the Asbestos Regulations and the university is laible to prosecution on that score. Moreover, if it is true, then this should itself be the subject of a substantive story for the newspaper.
'University puts its students' health at risk' would look good on the front page of any newspaper.
Continue to defend the independence of The Gown and don't imagine that the battle is over yet.
@dragonslayer and su staff... Gown office isn't filled with asbestos?... or is that part of the unions plans for the last few months?
Narnia Office - do you mean the asbestos-filled areas?
@Narnia Office
One Word, Asbestos. Several of the rooms are safe and are being used for storage purposes but the rest ave high levels of the stuff in the overhead piping and the walls.
It would be nice to have it removed but I'm told it costs lots and would mean shutting down part of that floor for a while. Not ideal when you have groups like Salsa, Dance, CU and ourselves using the Snack bar during the week.
Ever been up to the derelict part of the SU behind the snack bar where the 70's furniture goes to die? Why not clean that out and use it for clubs and society storage instead of going after an already well used office?
Storage space is important and ALL clubs and socs are to be valued as they contribute so much to the lives of students here. However, as has been pointed out above, the Gown office is a very small space. How much storage will it actually provide? How many clubs and socs will benefit from the storage space provided in there?
So many valid points have been made here. To oust The Gown from their private office in order to make space for storage is laughable. One has to think of the massive space available in both the snack bar, and, ahem, the "Space". The snack bar is big enough to accomodate a massive social event and the space is a newly done up enormous space dotted with sofas. There has to be somewhere else in the Union that the President and his committees and boards can think of to put a few lockers etc.
Catherine makes a really good point re the possible complications that could arise with a shared office. Do sabbs REALLY need more distractions such as these?
It seems that the Union really haven't thought this through and and have hastily and ignorantly went ahead with a nonsensical notion which suits them down to the ground.
I'm sure The Gown value other clubs and socs and recognise that more storage space is needed, and indeed more space in general for them to utilise. However, one has to rememeber that The Gown office is a very small space on the top floor of the Union in which a lot of good work is done. Work that benefits the principles of free speech and independence, and the future careers of so many students.
The Union needs to realise that this is a very important decison and that they have the power to save some face after what was disgraceful behaviour for a students' union in the months gone by.
Note that I didn't say Societies need an office, above posters are right in that very few societies need offices and those that do already have ones.
What societies need is storage space, places to store their equipment, equipment that usually needs accessed at least once a week and cant be stored at the home of one of their members.
The old lockers from the Main Libiary that were moved to the SU are ideal for storing this equipment its just there's no room to store the lockers in at the moment.
So storage space IS quite important when the stuff your storing costs thousands of pounds. Ask the CU or the lion dancers how much their stuff costs.
@ Narnia Office, I completely agree. The gown office is very small. Let them keep it. They are doing good work. Everybody is right, space is at a premium, so the only way is can be fairly divided up is by providing for those achieving the most. I think the Gown comes under this category. Although, you could argue that their achievements partially comes as a product of them having their own space. But theres never going to be space for every club or cos to have their own office...
But yeah, the Gown Office as a clubs and socs storage room? Give me a a break! They need to quit plans for redevloping the snack bar into another concert ahll, and give a good part of that space to clubs and socs storage. Every one has their own locker, and then there are larger communal storage lockers etc. And then a resources room also, with printers and photocopiers etc. Its the only way forward.
The Gown needs an office because newspapers are produced in offices. Whereas a storage room, is more often referred to as a cupboard.
I can't think of too many clubs or societies that need an office, and access to it, pretty much around the clock. Or that have been an integral part of life at QUB for the last half century in the same way The Gown has.
As a former Queen's student, clubs and societies are an integral part of life at Queen's and I was a member of many but I can't think of too many that would need an office in the same way The Gown does.
Just thought I'd add in here that I've been in the Gown Office and it's tiny! It's not like this huge encompassing space which could be used by loads of clubs & societies. It's roughly about the size of the SU reception desk, if not less.
Hey,
Yes, there has been a new Gown team appointed. We'll put this up on the website soon. And YES, regardless of the decision made by Queen's Union, The Gown will continue next year.
Brendan Hughes
advertising@thegown.org.uk
I whole-heartidly agree with what the gown stands for and it's values etc but why should the gown get an office over any other club or society that are actually in some way related rather than an "independent body." I know my society could do with an office to carry out their work from. If the gown do get one I will be going and looking for one for my society and hopefully many other societies will
Is there a new Gown team and is it even happening next year?
Is the Gown still going to be happening next year then?
shocking, stalinistic and sadistic the three sss now associated with the S.U.
Just wondering - how many whistle blowers actually come into your office at the moment? It's not exactly a secure or secretive place, with a constant stream of students & high staff walking past the door with a window in it...?
Surely most of the tell-telling is done via email no?
FFS storage space is now more important than maintaining one of the longest established independent newspapers in Britain and Ireland.
Making The Gown share office space is as good as cutting them off at the legs. It's as good as censorship and its petty.
Do you realise how many journalists cut their teeth at The Gown? Can any club or soc claim the same impact never mind their pens and tables?
What about that SU snack bar?
Oh sorry forgot it serves "snacks"
Will be interesting to see what the outcome of Management Board is...
@ Space at a Premium
I think the issue of confidentiality is a justifiable reason for them continuing to have a private office. How could they take a phonecall if there was a non-Gown person in the room?
Also, if the Union are able to spend almost ten grand on building a tv studio, surely they'd have cash to build additional club&soc storage space the size of a small office!?
Nobody denies that The Gown has a long and successful history behind it, its a valuable resource for students and there's no question that they should have an office in the SU if they want it.
However there has been a major shakeup of facilities in the SU this year including restructuring of the 2nd floor moving SU exec's offices, combining of several individual offices into one large office and moving of the 2nd floor reception. Did The Gown, an admittedly independent body operating in the SU, think they would be unaffected by this restructuring?
I believe part of the restructuring process involves turning The Gowns current office into a Societies storage room. This came from findings within the Club’s and Societies review which noted that such a society storage space is sorely needed by many societies in the Union to store their equipment.
After all The Gown would not be shut down by a change in location, its just that they would have to share office space. They would still have all the facilities available to them now, they would still be able to publish a newspaper and run their website, and interviews in confidence can be carried out in any number of private locations around the Union. If The Gown office is as busy on a day to day basis as you say then constant interruptions must be fairly commonplace in such a working environment?
If The Gown's office is turned into a society storage space would it not benefit more students than if they continued to use it as a exclusive office? Are The Gown prepared to share an office and accept that it will be a minor inconvenience to them if it means benefiting students through the creation of a societies storage room?
Jeypers Catherine, revered? Anyway, Gown abu!
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Auld Wan,
The slow wheels of The Gown's investigative team have begun turning on that one.
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