Andrew Mrozowski and Iman Janmohamed
Mar 29, 2025
Across Canada, student newspapers and campus media are under attack. In the past year alone, we have seen multiple attempts to defund, censor, and dismantle the independent student press—each one an affront to press freedom, student voices, and the role of journalism in holding institutions accountable.
March 2025 — The Imprint at the University of Waterloo faced a motion to cut its funding in half and make it optional, using misleading and outright false claims.
March 2025 — The Interrobang at Fanshawe College was scheduled to shut down entirely by the Fanshawe Student Union, erasing more than 50 years of independent student journalism without student consultation.
March 2025 — The Charlatan at Carleton University is fighting against a coordinated effort by individuals with no background in student media who seek to slash its budget and impose editorial control.
November 2024 — The Queen’s Journal fought off an attempt by its student union to interfere in its editorial independence.
November 2023 — The Gateway at the University of Alberta faced a referendum that threatened to defund the paper entirely.
Beyond newspapers, campus radio has also been under fire—most notably, the University of Ottawa’s CHUO station was defunded, a reminder that student-run media of all kinds face the same existential threats.
These attacks are not just about money. They are about control. They are about silencing student journalists who ask tough questions, expose injustices, and challenge the institutions that govern them. This isn’t happening in isolation—it’s a pattern, and it’s one we cannot ignore.
But student journalists are not giving up.
We will not be intimidated into silence. Across the country, we are fighting back — demanding referendums, exposing misinformation, and standing together to protect our ability to report freely. Some have even taken proactive measures to safeguard their independence, such as media outlets merging to create stronger, more resilient organizations that cannot be easily dismantled by student unions.
For decades, student newspapers have served as the historical record of our campuses. We have reported on the issues no one else will cover, given voices to the unheard, and trained the next generation of journalists, editors, and media professionals. The work we do matters, now more than ever.
So to every student journalist who has ever faced threats to their publication: keep going. When they defund us, we find new ways to survive. When they silence us, we speak louder. When they attack us, we stand stronger—together.
Freedom of the press is not optional. It is a fundamental right enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And we will not let them take it away.
CUP always has, and will always continue to unequivocally stand with Canadian student newspapers. We will fight against censorship, reduced funding, and threats against editorial independence and press freedom. We call on students across the nation and the Canadian journalism community to stand with student-led campus and community newspapers. Attacks on press freedom are unacceptable — and this extends to student newspapers.
Andrew Mrozowski & Iman Janmohamed
President & Vice-President, Canadian University Press