Student Paper Prints Without Libel Insurance

San Diego State University’s student newspaper, the Daily Aztec, will continue to publish without liability insurance, but an attorney will read the paper before publication for at least a week or until insurance is secured, university officials said.

The student government had threatened earlier in the week to shut down the paper because the Associated Students corporation, which oversees the Aztec’s business affairs, was unable to find an insurance company to give the paper libel coverage.

“We decided it would be a wise measure on our part to get an attorney,” said editor Tracy Dell’Angela. “I didn’t feel there would be an infringement on my rights as an editor.”

The paper has been without libel insurance since March 5, when managers of the Associated Students corporation were told that the insurance carrier--which provides coverage for all student-run activities--no longer offered libel insurance.

On Friday, the student council was considering closing the paper rather than risk a libel suit, even though the paper has never been sued for libel in its more than 50 years. However, a compromise was reached early Friday, and both parties agreed that allowing an attorney to read the paper prior to publication would alleviate the risk.

A shutdown of the paper for one week would have meant a loss of about $20,000 in advertising revenue, said Dell’Angela.

“We operated this week under the assumption that they wouldn’t do anything that drastic,” she said. “The idea that the student government can shut down the paper is very frightening.”

Meanwhile, Associated Students managers continue their search for libel insurance and are “cautiously optimistic” that a carrier will be found before March 31, when classes resume after a week of spring break. The paper does not publish during the break.