The chair of the Student Publications Committee resigned during Thursday’s meeting to ensure The Daily Cougar remains unbiased during the Student Government Association elections.
“It was a conflict of interest for me to be running for student body president while being chair of the Student Publications Committee,” said Jeff Syptak.
“As chair of the SPC, I could influence the editor in chief to write more positive stories about me than the other candidates. The committee would like the image of the paper to remain unbiased and fair.”
The committee oversees the Cougar in monthly meetings and discusses the paper’s inner-workings — like advertising, production or content — and elects each semester’s editor in chief.
It is comprised of students, faculty, SGA representatives and professional representatives.
Joshua Siegel, who also serves as sports editor for The Daily Cougar, was voted in as vice chair of SPC at the meeting on Thursday. He previously served as The Daily Cougar representative to the SPC. He will take over the responsibilities of the chair until a new student is elected by the voting members.
