xiggi
March 11, 2011, 10:31pm
9
<p>OK, instead of following the source provided by the OP, follow the original story by clicking here: [Stanford</a> athletes had access to list of ‘easy’ courses | Stanford Daily](<a href=“http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/03/09/1046687/]Stanford ”>Stanford athletes had access to list of 'easy' courses )</p>
<p>From there click on the statement of California Watch, or here <a href=“[700+] California Wallpapers | Wallpapers.com ”>http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/california-watch-stands-behind-stanford-class-list-story-9139</a></p> ;
<p>
California Watch, and our parent organization, the Center for Investigative Reporting, stands by the reporting of Stanford students who produced under our direction a story about a class list distributed to Stanford athletes – a list of classes that some student athletes were quoted describing as “easy.” These students are enrolled in an investigative reporting class at Stanford. Soon after they began asking Stanford administrators about the “courses of interest” list, the university discontinued it.</p>
<p>It took a lot of courage for the students to produce this story, knowing that it was going to cause controversy within the Stanford community – a community they are very proud to be a part of.</p>
<p>Some of the athletes and faculty quoted in the piece have contended in letters, e-mails and discussion boards that they were misquoted or misled by student journalists. We are reviewing these concerns. But we believe the journalism students acted professionally and responsibly in reporting a fair, balanced and accurate story.
</p>
<p>Fwiw, Wyndam Makowsky is a staff writer at Stanford Daily and, thus, a colleague of several of the Stanford student journalists who contributed to the original article. </p>
<p>As far as the California Watch reviewing the concern, it seems that the editor will have plenty of 'splaining to do to the quoted Professor:</p>
<p>[Misquoted</a> Professor Has Sharp Words for Student Reporters | The Unofficial Stanford Blog](<a href=“http://tusb.stanford.edu/2011/03/misquoted-professor-has-sharp-words-for-student-reporters.html]Misquoted ”>http://tusb.stanford.edu/2011/03/misquoted-professor-has-sharp-words-for-student-reporters.html )</p>
<p>
I want you to know that I was shocked and deeply offended in reading a news story in which you egregiously misquoted me. I must ask that you immediately retract your story, and notify all those who have quoted it of your error.</p>
<p>During the brief interview one of you had with me during my office hours, I explained that I, as other faculty, sometimes accommodate student-athletes’ off-campus competition schedules by arranging with the coaching staff for the proctoring of examinations. As I explained to you, we also do this for other students involved in certain types of extracurricular activities.</p>
<p>At no point during our brief conversation did I discuss the University’s policies towards providing reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Neither did I compare the accommodations provided for athletes to the accommodations provided for students with disabilities. It is for this reason that I request that you immediately retract your story, and publicly correct your error. Failure to do would, I believe, violate core ethical principles of journalism.</p>
<p>I am copying Mark Katches on this message. As the instructor in the course for which you wrote your story, I believe he shares in the responsibility for correcting the error.</p>
<p>As an additional concern, the student who interviewed me never raised the issue of the academic rigor of my course. Nevertheless the published article implies that course grading is lenient. I believe the academic rigor of the course is reflected in its selection by the University as meeting the General Education Requirement in Education for Citizenship/American Cultures. In addition, at the request of a national publisher, I have written a textbook covering the material covered in the course. That text is in use at colleges and universities throughout the country.</p>
<p>Donald Barr, MD, PhD
</p>
<p>Nuff?</p>