by Emma Cody on October 23, 2025

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Opinion

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On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Indiana University’s student-run newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student, was informed that it would be cut for print, effective immediately. This came after media director Jim Rodenbush protested the school’s decision to omit all news coverage from print editions and was ultimately fired. The paper was set to hit the stands on Thursday, Oct. 16; however, IDS informed readers via social media that there would be no print edition that week. Not long after, a social media post was sent out by the IDS official Instagram stating that there would be no further print editions of the IDS. 

Indiana University’s reasoning behind its decision is that the printing cost creates a financial deficit. However, IU alum Mark Cuban posted on X (formerly Twitter) to speak out against this, stating, “Not happy. Censorship isn’t the way.” Cuban has donated $500,000 to Indiana University’s school newspaper over the past 5 years, and $250,000 this year alone. Cuban’s publicized announcement of his previous donations implies the University’s motivation primarily has to do with the censorship of student voices rather than a lack of funding.

Especially in light of the recent attacks on free speech in the United States, the timing of IU’s decisions does not go unnoticed. Student journalism is of utmost importance, especially considering the current political climate, and we need to ensure that free speech remains on college campuses. We stand in solidarity with IDS and encourage all to continue to support student journalism.

Signed,

Providence College’s The Cowl Editorial Board

by Emma Cody on October 23, 2025

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Letters to the Editor

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A Letter to the Editors by Local Assembly Members

The federal government could have fixed the gaps in traditional government-run Medicare and created an improved Medicare for All single-payer program, but instead, it paid private middlemen billions to offer Medicare Advantage plans.

Seniors were lured into buying heavily advertised, “cheaper,” heavily subsidized Medicare Advantage plans while the private corporations that offered these plans saw their profits soar. 

Unfortunately, costs, utilization, and oversight increased, and corporations began abandoning these once lucrative plans—and the seniors who relied on them.

In Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans stopped covering patients who seek care at four major Rhode Island hospitals in July. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island recently told about 275 of its own retirees that it would no longer offer them a subsidized Medicare Advantage group plan.

Clearly, this abandonment is yet more evidence that we cannot allow private corporate middlemen (“payers”) who stand between patients and providers to manage health insurance. 

Studies have found they impose 15–20 percent administrative costs, compared to traditional Medicare, which has about two percent.

Every other industrialized nation has a single-payer system and pays half per capita what the U.S. pays, and gets universal coverage, better health outcomes, and doctors who do not get burnt out spending hours a day on insurance paperwork and “prior authorizations.”

It’s time to move to an improved Medicare for All single-payer system.

Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol)
Sen. Samuel W. Bell (D-Dist. Five, Providence)
Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. Seven, Providence)
Rep. Jennifer A. Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket)

by Samantha Dietel '23 on November 3, 2022
Opinion Staff

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Campus

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On Oct. 28, students from the Class of 2023 were sent an email about an incident that occurred in an off campus group chat. We were informed that the incident involved hateful messages directed at the LGBTQ+ community. While it stated that the college “unequivocally condemn[s]” this type of language and that all “Friars deserve to feel safe,” how can we feel safe if the whole community isn’t informed? The email was only sent to the Class of 2023. Simply because the messages were shared in a 2023 platform doesn’t mean that other classes weren’t impacted. Even if they could not see the messages directly, many heard rumors about what was said. To avoid misinformation and make everyone aware, this message should have been sent to the entire Providence College community. 

Since we are a small school, word travels quickly about everything that happens on and off campus. In many ways, it is nice that our student body is strongly connected.. However, in times like these, it can be heartbreaking when we see a member of this community threaten and ostracize an entire group. Numerous people have expressed confusion and fear at why other classes were not notified about these hateful messages. I can understand not sharing the messages themselves. All that matters is that they were hateful, hurtful, and threatened the safety of our LGBTQ+ students. Everyone has the right to know if they are being targeted.

We do not feel safe. How can we if there is no transparency from the College, and the classes need to rely on each other for important updates that impact our safety? By only sending this message to the seniors, it seems like an attempt to sweep the incident under the rug. When incidents like these arise, it is important to ensure the whole community is involved and that the College states its expectations to everyone, not just those with whom the incident initially occurred. I hope we never experience another incident like this again, but if we do, I hope we are mindful to inform everyone who may be affected.