By: (AP) A local weekly newspaper dropped a scathing critique of Chico State University's animal-house atmosphere when the school threatened to withdraw the paper's advertiser-heavy city guide from student orientation packets.
The Chico News & Review replaced the article "The Party Rules" with a welcome address from University President Paul Zingg.
The dropped article in the guide, "Goin' Chico," refers to several incidents -- including last year's alleged hazing death of a student and the filming of a frathouse porn video -- that has added to Chico's growing reputation as a notorious party school.
"You've selected a school known more for its collective booze intake than for its contributions to academic achievement," the article crows. "So have fun, kiddies ... and try not to die."
University officials argued that the article could damage the school's image, and promptly yanked the guide from its orientation packets, which steers students to university and city services.
But the newspaper had promised advertisers that the guide would be distributed in the orientation packets, said News & Review editor Tom Gascoyne.
So the newspaper and the school came to an agreement: replace the disputed article with a welcome address, and the issues would be returned to the packets.
"We came to an agreement because we want to get these things distributed," Gascoyne said. "We promised our advertisers that they were going out in the packets. We want to make good with that."
The article is still available in copies of the guide that aren't being distributed to students and on the News & Review's Web site.
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