The Tribune is not independent.

We hear this all the time from our critics, and implicit in this factual statement is that the Tribune is a public relations tool for the university. Because the university is our publisher, many people think that the administration exercises prior review over this newspaper — that is, what you read on Tuesday and Thursday has already been reviewed and maybe even censored.

However, this is not the case. At the National College Media Convention in Kansas City, Mo., last fall, I learnt about six models of college newspapers arranged according to their purpose. The first five are all models in which the university is the publisher.

Model 1: The paper's stated purpose is public relations, and the administration expects or even requires prior review.

Model 2: The paper's stated purpose is public relations; an adviser or journalism professor exercises prior review and answers to the university president or public relations office.

Model 3: The paper's purpose is to educate journalism students, an adviser or journalism professor exercises prior review and answers to the university president or public relations office.

Model 4: The purpose is educational, a professor or adviser guides the editorial process and answers questions, student editors make most decisions, and a publications review board acts as a buffer between the paper and the administration.

Model 5: The purpose is strictly educational, an adviser simply advises, student editors originate and select all stories, and the editor(s) report to a publications review board made up of student and faculty representatives.

Model 6: The paper is independently funded and produced.

The Tribune is Model 5. Our stated purpose can be found in our staff box on page 4: "The Tribune serves as a student voice for the university and gives students publishing experience and practice in journalism, advertising, management and allied disciplines. The Tribune is written, edited, produced and operated solely by students with the encouragement and advice of the adviser and business manager, who are university employees."

Student media adviser, Stephen Byers, said his role is to offer help when asked, to critique students' work and to be there if something goes wrong.

While Byers is ultimately held responsible for what appears in the Tribune, he strongly believes the paper belongs to the students.

"Nothing is more educational than doing," Byers said. "Therefore, putting out a paper — being responsible for all its components — is the best part, in my mind, of the Marquette education."