Dear Ms. McLaughlin:

Having read almost every issue of The Pitt News since I became… Dear Ms. McLaughlin:

Having read almost every issue of The Pitt News since I became Interim Head of Student Affairs, I continue to be impressed by the leadership you have provided for this publication. As I have indicated on several occasions, I have been and will continue to be an ardent defender of freedom of the press and speech. In the immediate instance, I understand fully the independence of The Pitt News to determine its content, even though The Pitt News has a formal association with the University of Pittsburgh.

Moreover, I believe that the defense of a free press and free speech is of critical importance for young people who are members of a higher education learning community. Thus, I am among those who defend your right to place a story,