New Fonda movie Oil exploration 'gripping'...page 4 finalized...page 5
Bronchos win first at home...page 7
OIL
January 15, 1987 HE Vol. 85, No. 27
VISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Report names 'The Vista' CSU public relations tool By Shannon Blockcolski Editor
In a research paper concerning press freedoms for campus newspapers, The Vista was represented as "yet another example of an editorial change from a hard news approach to a public relations approach as a result of administrative pressure." The study, conducted by Ivan Holmes, former chairman of the Northeastern Oklahoma State University journalism department, was published in the annual "Freedom of Information '86 '87" tabloid printed by the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, according to Dr. Ray Tassin, chairman of the CSU journalism department. "Half a story, at best, and 23 inaccuracies are what I found in the 36-sentence research report by Ivan Holmes concerning press freedom at Central State University," Tassin wrote in a letter of reply to the report. The report focuses on incidents occuring in 1981, when former Vista advisor and current journalism professor Denny Hall quit and current advisor Hank Mooney was hired. Hall was quoted in the report,
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"Tassin told the advisor screening committee that someone had to be hired from the list of applicants and 'arms were twisted to name Mooney as advisor,' Hall said. `Mooney was interviewed by (Dr. Bill) Lillard (president of CSU) and hired as advisor.' Mooney had known Lillard for 15 years, so it was a cut and dried case, Hall said." Mooney said he had not known Lillard for 15 years, but had spoken to him occasionally when Mooney worked for The Daily Oklahoman and Lillard was superintendent for Oklahoma City public schools. Mooney also said he was interviewed by a graduate assistant helping Holmes, but he was only quoted once in the report. Former Vista editor Tony Williams' was interviewed by Holmes' assistant, "Mooney was not a news-editorial writer," Williams told the interviewer. "He had a photography background. Tassin replied to Williams' comment, "Mooney did work as a photographer for ten years for The Daily Oklahoman. However, he also spent four years in the
Resolut on recommends student activity facility By Samantha Spencer A resolution and proposal requesting the construction of a student activity facility will be voted on Monday by the Student Senate. The proposal recommends the construction of a facility for meetings and activities of campus organizations. The building would be financed by the student activity fund for a cost not to exceed $500,000 over the next ten years, the proposal stated. The Student Association Executive Committee on Campus Organization Meeting and Activity Space was formed to investigate the needs of campus groups. "We have attempted to reach all the campus groups to determine their needs and problems with the current arrangement. They are the ones that will be effected by this proposal." said Jeff Shilling, Student Association president. The building would be open for all campus organization's use
without a charge, the resolution stated. Outside organizations could use the facility for a charge if there is no room available in the University Center and no campus group is scheduled in the facility, the resolution continued. The income from outside groups will be used for the maintenance of the building. The requests for the building include: one large meeting room, six conference rooms with movable walls to accommodate both large and small groups, four offices, one work room, a kitchen and two storage closets, the resolution stated. Equipment requested includes: telephones, chalkboards, podiums, film screens, chairs and tables, audio-visual equipment, a PA system and assorted kitchen appliances. Kitchen appliances consist of a coffee maker, refrigerator, freezer and a microwave oven, the resolution added.
U.S. Air Force writing histories for nine months and then as a reporter and editor for a 48-page weekly newspaper." Another former Vista editor interviewed was Curtis Killman, who said he agreed with only one and a half of the five paraphrased sentences he was quoted as saying in the report. The report quoted Killman said Mooney and Tassin advised him against "harming" someone editorially. Killman denied saying this and said his words were taken out of context. Tassin questioned Holmes about the accuracy of the report, and Holmes said he examined a few of the 630 newspapers published during the period mentioned in the report. "That is hardly adequate research," Tassin said. The report ended with a paragraph about the first editorial printed by former Vista editor Susan Green in a summer 1986 issue. "This is really a pretty terrific university to attend. Maybe this summer someone will talk about and write letters to the editor about some good things," said part of the editorial printed in Holmes' report. Tassin replied, "A new editor felt the urge to say something nice about her university — a rare event in college newspapers. This is offered by Holmes' report as the final clincher that the CSU newspaper is a public relations publication. What a phony argument." In another publication, "Keeping Free Presses Free," prepared by members of the Press Law Committee of College Media Advisors, Inc., Holmes' information on CSU from his report was printed. "At Central Oklahoma State University (incorrect), the Journalism Department chair is listed as administrative publisher of The Vista because of its quasi-lab paper function. The chair exercised control over editorial content of the paper when he pulled an editorial from an issue," Holmes stated in the publication. Tassin worked as advisor for The Vista a semester before Mooney was hired. Tassin replied, "I told the editors not to print the editorial because it libeled the CSU president. I wouldn't allow anyone to use the newspaper to try to destroy someone — anyone."
Photographic Services: Don Smith
A Baron's Exploration worker climbs on rails near the top of an oil rig located northeast of the Broncho Fieldhouse. (Related story on page 5).
New tax exempt law rules out dependents By Shannon Blockcolski All employees must fill out a new W-4 form by Oct. 1, according to Warren Campbell, employee of the Internal Revenue Service. "The Tax Reform Act of 1986 changed the tax law so that the amount now withheld from paychecks may no longer be correct," Campbell said. "Although Oct. 1 is the deadline, the sooner the W-4 is turned in the better to avoid incorrect withholding. The IRS new W-4 instruction handbook stated, "so that your employer will not withhold too much or too little tax from your pay, give your employer a new Form W-4. If you do not complete the form, the amount of tax withheld from your pay may not be close to the amount of tax you will owe when you file your tax return." Campbell said, "if someone fails to fill out the new W-4 form, his taxes probably will be underwithheld, and this could result in penalities when he files his return."
One of the important changes in the law, Campbell said, was if a person can be claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return, the person cannot claim exempt status. Exempt status means no federal or state taxes are removed from an employee's paycheck. Also, if someone's wages plus his/her non-wage income adds up to more than $500, the person cannot be exempt, he added. Another new feature to the W-4 form, Campbell said, is the special withholding allowance. An employee can claim this allowance if he/she has only one job at a time and doesn't have a working spouse, he added. "People should take this allowance, if they can, so they won't have too much tax withheld from their pay," Campbell said. Both the exempt status change and the special withholding allowance were created to incorporate into the 1987 tax table, which has reduced from 16 to five tax brackets, he added.