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NPR raises concerns about firing of Tennessee reporter

By The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Top editors at National Public Radio challenged the firing of an affiliate reporter who covered meetings between high school students and legislators who said they were secretly recorded talking about LGBT issues.

Reporter Jacqui Helbert was dismissed from her job at WUTC-FM last week by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which holds the radio station’s license. Her firing raised questions about whether legislators, who control the university’s funding, pressured the school into dismissing her. Legislators disputed those allegations.

NPR news director Michael Oreskes and standards editor Mark Memmott said in a statement that while Helbert should have announced herself as a reporter, her media credential and recording equipment were “obvious signs” that she was gathering news for broadcast.

The reporter’s editors didn’t consider Helbert’s mistake a firing offense, and Oreskes and Memmott said that decision should be left to them, not the university.

“Taking the decisions about enforcing ethics out of their hands did more to undermine the station’s credibility than the original infraction,” they said. “We strongly urge the university and WUTC to reach an agreement that ensures the station’s editorial independence in the future.”

Helbert had joined members of Cleveland High School’s gay-straight alliance club on a visit to the state Capitol complex. The gay rights club met with Republican lawmakers to speak out against a bill requiring transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to the gender listed on their birth certificates. The bill later failed in a Senate committee.

Republican Sen. Mike Bell said he greeted each of the visitors when they came to his office and again when they left. He said Helbert could have identified herself then, but didn’t.

While Bell said he doesn’t take issue with the substance of the report, he was upset about the circumstances.

“It’s not right for somebody to secretly record you, period,” he said. “She should have identified herself.”

The report quoted Bell as asking the students about how transgender should be defined.

“Is it how I feel on Monday? I feel different on Tuesday? Wednesday I might feel like a dog,” Bell was quoted as saying.

At another meeting, the students were told by Rep. Kevin Brooks that he didn’t think the bill would make it beyond its first committee vote.

“If it does I probably will not — will not support it,” Brooks said.

Bell said he complained to colleagues, but did not demand that the reporter be fired. A few days after the report aired, three fellow Republicans had a previously scheduled meeting with university officials.

George Heddleston, the school’s senior associate vice chancellor of marketing and communications, told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that Helbert’s story was discussed at the March 17 meeting. Heddleston made the decision to fire the reporter, according to the school.

Sen. Todd Gardenhire, a Chattanooga Republican, said the decision was made before the lawmakers attended the meeting.

Gardenhire and Bell have taken on the state’s flagship public university system in the past over an annual Sex Week organized by students and over diversity initiatives that included urging the use of gender-neutral pronouns for transgender students. Gardenhire led the charge last year to strip the diversity office at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville of $337,000 in funding.

Gardenhire said Helbert wasn’t fired at his behest.

“She’s got a martyr status now, and I understand that,” said Gardenhire. “She dug her own grave. And UTC is the one who makes the policy and that makes the decisions.”

Helbert told the Times Free Press on Tuesday that she felt vindicated by the statement from NPR.

“I was completely floored the moment I saw they did a response,” she said. “WUTC was caught in the crossfire, they are a scapegoat just like I am.”

The university, which contributed more than $500,000 to the station in 2016, stands by its decision to fire Helbert because lawmakers weren’t “treated equally” in her story, spokesman Chuck Cantrell said.

“The decision was based on the fact that identifying yourself as a member of the media is such a basic fundamental issue,” he said. “Every beginning reporter knows that.”

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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