University of Central Oklahoma – Student Newspaper

Summary

In August 2025, the University of Central Oklahoma ended the print edition of its student newspaper, The Vista, which had been in publication for 122 years. The Student Media Advisory Board had recommended reducing print to twice a month due to budget concerns, but university officials abruptly ended print entirely and removed campus distribution racks. The university said the decision aligned with industry trends and maximized resources, and it emphasized that The Vista remained independent and controlled its own content. While the university was not constitutionally required to fund a print publication, the decision came after administrators repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with editorial decisions made by The Vista, including coverage that may reflect poorly on the university and President Todd Lamb’s administration.

In October 2025, several free-speech advocacy groups, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), sent letters to University of Central Oklahoma leadership criticizing the decision as an infringement on student press freedom. The letters argued that the university’s actions restricted editorial independence, discouraged critical coverage, and interfered with the use of private funds to continue printing. The letters demanded restoration of print publication, student editorial control, and campus distribution racks.

Critics noted that the print edition cost approximately twelve thousand dollars per year and that eliminating it removed key hands-on experience for student journalists in areas such as layout, advertising, and archiving. The university maintained that The Vista remained editorially independent and that the digital transition reflected national trends. In response to the print shutdown, some students planned to launch an independent newsroom called The Independent View with both a website and a biweekly print edition.