Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.
Indiana University media relations representatives draw their salary from Hoosiers like myself.
Yet, my student reporters at The College Fix often find it impossible to even get media reps like Mark Bode and Vic Ryckaert to answer the phone, let alone respond to a voicemail or email.
The College Fix has written a handful of stories about IU-Bloomington in the past months — important topics such as alleged hate crimes, racial discrimination and state funding for the Kinsey Institute.
Yet Bode, Ryckaert and the entire IU media team are missing in action when it comes to answering basic questions about the operation of the university.
Student journalists, like the more than 125 who write in any given year for The College Fix, can only improve when given the chance to get real answers from institutions.
Ryckaert used to work as a reporter for WRTV and the Indianapolis Star, so one would think he would be sympathetic to reporters just doing their job and trying to get the university’s perspective on an issue.
Likewise, Bode has spent most of his career working in media relations for cities and politicians. He should understand the need to communicate information to the public.
There should be more respect for journalism organizations trying to cover important topics and for taxpayers who pay for them to, ostensibly, work on behalf of the state and its higher education institutions.
Matt Lamb is an associate editor for The College Fix, a higher education news site that trains student journalists. He lives in Dyer, Indiana.
