A student government member wants the University to create a second student newspaper as an alternative to The Daily Collegian, which he asserts changes news accounts to reflect the political convictions of its editors.

"I'd always heard ever since I've been here that people wanted more diversity of opinion," said Eric Epp, the East Halls senator sponsoring the resolution.

The two-page resolution passed the senate's Legislation and Review Committee Sunday night and will go before the full senate tonight, said Don Bowman, a town senator.

"The existence of a second student newspaper will help to promote a second viewpoint of campus events," the resolution says.

The Collegian, a 102 year-old publication, began in 1887 as the monthly Free Lance and evolved through several phases before becoming a daily newspaper in 1940, coinciding with the year of its incorporation.

It became entirely independent from the University in the early 1970s, said Gerry Lynn Hamilton, the Collegian's general manager.

Epp spoke of several student complaints, including a charge that students who wrote conservative articles during tryouts were rejected because of their views.

He said one student who wrote a column portraying Christianity in a favorable way also was fired.

"Some writers had their writing changed to make them look foolish if the Collegian didn't agree with their opinion," he said. "But mostly, the complaints had been regarding letters to the editor."

Diane A. Davis, the Collegian's editor-in-chief, called Epp's reports largely inaccurate.

"A news article is supposed to be an objective piece of work," said Davis (senior-English). "We wouldn't change them to reflect editors' or staff members' opinions."

She did say, though, that the creation of a second student newspaper could only help generate constructive arguments and perhaps stimulate reform.

"I encourage the formation of any vehicle that allows student views to be heard," said Davis, who was selected as editor in March by the Board of Directors of Collegian Inc.

To join the Collegian, prospective staff writers must take an exam that tests their ability to write objectively. If accepted, they go through a semester-long trial period called candidate school, taught by Kim Strong Berdy, the newspaper's full-time news adviser.

She said Epp had contacted her last week to obtain information about Collegian, but misrepresented himself.

"I was completely misled by Mr. Epp to believe that he was doing a paper for one of his classes," said Strong Berdy, a 1985 University graduate and a former reporter for the Lewistown Sentinel.

She said she accepts applicants who write the best stories, about 65 each semester. Previous newspaper experience also plays a part in her decision, she said.

About 125 students tried out for Collegian's news division this fall.

Epp said if his resolution passes tonight, USG's administrative liaison committee will ask the University to help fund the proposed publication.

"We'd have to wait and look at the proposal," said Bill Mahon, the University's director of public information. He said no general policy exists on the issue.

The Collegian, a $1.6 million company, supports itself by selling advertisements and subscriptions.

Though the University contracts to buy 14,350 papers each day -- the copies placed around campus -- Hamilton said the Collegian began in 1977 distributing 4,000 additional papers at no charge.