As students of N.C. State University and the UNC system, we are outraged that the Western Carolina University administration was able to shut down The Western Carolinian, the student-run newspaper, without an explanation on Friday, Sept. 24.  Although the paper was reinstated on Wednesday, President Erskine Bowles should know the issue of students’ rights is not resolved.

In light of Banned Book Week at N.C. State and the anniversary of First Amendment Day at UNC Chapel Hill, the student community is fully aware of their inalienable rights to practice their religion of choice, free speech, free press, peaceful assembly and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. As president of the UNC system, Bowles needs to reaffirm students’ rights and recognize that being a student in the UNC system does not change their rights under the Constitution. Students should not be worried about their rights as they attend UNC system schools.

The rights guaranteed in the First Amendment are among the most basic human rights.  Shutting The Western Carolinian down for any period of time, whether it was a few hours or a few days, is unacceptable. Shutting down the paper was in direct violation of the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, whether or not they were accused of plagiarism. These accusations do not take away The Western Carolinian’s staff’s rights to free press. For us as students, this translates into having fewer rights when we attend this public institution. However, this should never be the case.

President Bowles needs to reassure the students of the UNC system that they still have rights as students. He owes it to the taxpayers who aid in paying for the institutions, the faculty who teach the students, the staff who maintain the universities and, most importantly, the students who ultimately determine the shape of the UNC system. By making a statement, Bowles can set the tone for administrations across the UNC system and affirm the rights of students.