Newspaper spoof causes headaches at Eckerd College

Bawdy bulletins amuse some students. But some administrators think a little chat is in order.

By STEPHEN HEGARTY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 13, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- A spoof edition of the Eckerd College student newspaper that contained some silliness, a few choice four-letter words, a guide to sexual pleasure and photos of some scantily dressed students has touched off a debate on freedom of the press.

The annual spoof of the Triton, called the EC-Sploiter, has prompted a flurry of e-mails, high-level meetings and a good deal of buzz on campus.

The bottom line: The Triton staff has no reason to fear reprisals or censorship. But they can expect to have to defend their actions for a while.

"I have no inclination toward censorship," said dean of students James Annarelli. "Still, we need to engage these students in a conversation relative to their responsibilities. Spoofs can be done with great humor and wit. I don't feel this was."

The spoof edition published Thursday has a long tradition. Previous issues contained over-the-top items such as a phony article about a sex scandal involving the former president, a prospective student and the resulting "love child." Another edition bore the headline "Eckerd College At War!"

Lyndsie Nickel, the Triton's director of public relations, said this year's spoof was in keeping with that tradition.

"It's always been a no-rules, no-holds-barred issue," said Nickel. "I don't feel that we crossed any lines."

Many students agree.

"We're college students. We hear these things all the time," said Erin Ervin, a freshman psychology major. "I mean, it definitely catches your eye. And it was pretty vulgar, but it's not something we haven't seen before."

"I laughed -- a lot actually," said Richard Gagliano, a sophomore psychology major. "The F-bomb didn't really even catch my eye."

But Annarelli isn't alone in objecting.

"Spoofs traditionally are humorous and witty; some of these articles were none of those things," said Garvin Sealy, student body president. "It was just shocking. Vulgar."

The cover includes a phony announcement that the Dave Matthews Band is coming to Eckerd and an item about the director of campus safety being caught streaking. Typical spoof fare.

Inside, however, is a staged photo of Sealy surrounded by shirtless women, shown from the back. A role-reversing article by Nickel on sexual pleasure for women is getting the biggest response.

The free campus paper is published weekly.

The Triton staff has no faculty adviser.

Triton editor Emily Morganstein said the staff has been surprised at the response, and is in no way disavowing the edition, even if it did offend some.

"I think the fact that we can do this spoof edition speaks a lot about Eckerd College, that they gave us this freedom," Morganstein said.

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