Lessons to Learn
A better and clearer understanding of the complaints procedure, guidelines for removal of content and process for appeal needs to be built between Clubs & Societies, the Union and the College
History does repeat itself. Earlier this term, the Union shut down the entire IC Radio website because of the content of one broadcast and last week the College shut down an entire Union server because of a single benign sentence and the use of a couple of swear words; if we were to extrapolate by magnitude and ridiculousness, one would expect the government to ban the internet next week when a member of the public is tagged in a particularly unflattering photo on Facebook.
Of course, while the nature of the College's response is irresponsible, their impulse to blindly pull the plug at the first sign of danger is not without rationale. They have a duty to uphold Imperial's reputation and this includes ensuring that libellous, racist or unjustifiably offensive material isn't associated with this university or its members. To suggest otherwise would be childish -- our degrees and research rely, in part, on the good reputation of our university.
However, the College must also remember that it has a reputation within these walls. The move towards an increased role of alumni funding is dependent on students today maintaining a positive attitude towards their alma mater. This is not the only reason to act fairly; as Deputy President (Clubs & Societies) Heather Jones astutely points out, if Clubs & Societies don't believe that their online content will be treated proportionally and fairly, they will lose trust and move it off the Union servers. Given that the reason to insist that all clubs host their websites on the Union servers is so that the College's reputation can be protected, this breakdown in trust is clearly undesirable.
The College could simply hold their hands up and say, "We made a mistake." Indeed the Rector has already apologised for the reaction of the College and that apology will go some way to maintain relations. But that is not nearly enough. A better and clearer understanding of the complaints procedure, guidelines for removal of content and process for appeal needs to be built between Clubs & Societies, the Union and the College. Otherwise these farcical events are doomed to be repeated.
