USG freezes Record budget over April Fools issue

USG+freezes+Record+budget+over+April+Fools+issue

Staff Reports

The United Students Government at SUNY Buffalo State has frozen The Record’s budget Wednesday after the student newspaper printed their April Fools issue, effectively halting further publication.

USG Executive Vice President Emily Leminger said in an email to The Record that the publication of the satirical issue “is a very serious matter.”

“It has come to our attention from many students and faculty members that some of the topics discussed in the ‘Wreckard’ satire addition were offensive to members of Buffalo State and the surrounding community.”

The email did not specify which stories were found objectionable and also demanded Record staff remove the issue from stands, with Leminger writing,

“Please note that your budget has been frozen, all publications of ‘The Wreckard’ must be removed from campus tomorrow by 5PM and relocated to your office.”

Annemarie Franczyk, Buffalo State journalism professor and The Record’s adviser, commented on USG’s decision.

The April Fools edition of The Record clearly was satire from the obviously altered name and typeface to the topics,” Franczyk said, “which no one should believe to be true. The edition was witty, smart and sharply written and was meant for nothing more but the entertainment of the student body.”

The decision to freeze The Record’s budget comes on the heels of USG’s campaign encouraging students to vote for the continuation of Buffalo State’s $75 mandatory student activity fee. Without the fee, USG warned, student services like The Record would no longer receive funding. The decision also comes as USG readies to spend $100,000 on Springfest, a one-night concert held for students.

Here is The Record's first page of its April Fools issue.
Here is The Record’s first page of its April Fools issue.