In a year plagued with issues of free-speech problems, the Government of the Student Body has cut the funds for three publications, thus working to silence the student voice.

These publications, The Drummer, ethos Magazine, and the Iowa State Daily, are the vehicles on which students depend to take the university to task and to praise when necessary.

ISU students have brought to light many shortcomings of the university’s speech policies this year, so much so that administrators are reviewing the policies, including these strange “free-speech zones” — areas where a permit is not needed to rally.

The review is good, and it was largely brought about by successful critiques presented in the three student publications the Senate voted to cut.

In an atmosphere where pressure for broader free speech is highly appropriate, senators decided Wednesday night to do just the opposite of what the students need. They approved a $6,000 funding cut for ethos Magazine and a $14,000 cut for the Daily. The Drummer was cut about $1,000.

Citing an increase in student organizations and a decrease in student funding, many senators claimed it just wasn’t possible to fund the publications at the same level.

What was particularly frightening Wednesday were the actions of Sen. Larry Laverty, who represents the Interfraternity Council. He’s been a member of the Senate for only a semester. Laverty moved to zero-fund The Drummer not because of finances, but because he didn’t like the newspaper’s content.

That’s sad.

It is not the role of a newspaper to please the public.

The 1899 editors of The Iowa State College Student, the predecessor of the Daily, were able to grasp that ideal.

“Each and every one of our readers cannot expect to find the The Student a mirror of his own mind. Some writer, we think it is Emerson, says he does not value the book or the friend that continually agrees with him. He wants occasional disagreement to wet his mind. If The Student is only to knuckle to each whim and passing notion and never express independent ideas, it will be a detriment and a drag upon the college. But if we can sometimes set you to thinking, better yet if we can set you to talking, we shall consider our work done.”

The senators who voted to cut the campus’ three most prominent publications just don’t get it.

Free speech is important.

They should care about it.

They should fight for it.

They should not stifle it by cutting funds from their mass student voices. Content and quality really aren’t the issues. And even if they were, there’s not much fund-cutting ground on which to stand.

Contrary to Laverty’s remarks Wednesday, The Drummer, for one, has been able to produce some of the most memorable political fodder on campus. It was The Drummer that broke the story of the planned MacDonald’s in the Hub at the end of last spring’s semester.

And there are other things to consider.

Magazine-style writers are given a place to practice their craft at ethos Magazine. The magazine tackles many larger, in-depth campus issues that the Daily hasn’t the space to address.

For example, ethos’ last issue has an enlightening article about illegal aliens in Des Moines. The magazine also gives students book reviews not offered anywhere else in campus publications. It gives poets a place to pen and opinion writers a different audience.

The point is this: Students suffer when they can’t be heard. Students can’t be heard when their publications are hamstrung.

Their publications get hamstrung when the Senate cuts funds as a matter of politics.

This is bad.