Last week, an administrator at the University of Southern California blocked the re-election of student Zach Fox to the post of editor in chief of the university's student newspaper, The Daily Trojan.

The Daily Trojan is not, like The Daily Collegian and many other student newspapers, independent from the university.

The school, not the newspaper, has the power to choose the editor in chief.

In this case, Fox wanted to change the description of his position so that it ceded more control to the managing editor and left the editor in chief to focus on more long-term projects.

Fox also requested more access to the paper's budget.

The school had the right to reject a candidate for editor in chief because it is part of its job to choose the editor.

However, that does not make it the right thing to do.

Fox had been elected by a majority of his peers to continue leading the Trojan, and he has been defended by several college papers around the country.

An effort led by the Harvard Crimson resulted in an editorial signed by 19 student-run papers that supported Fox and denounced the university's decision.

This completely illustrates the need for independence in college publications.

College newspapers should not be dependent on the approval of the university to change the role of an editor, or to do anything for that matter.

With the university holding control over a student publication, the publication is not free to do the type of work that is necessary to truly serve the students of the university.

There is the threat that a student paper would not question, investigate or ananalyze the actions of the university president, faculty or board of trustees.

This watchdog role is crucial to the democratic process and is as important on a university level as it is on a state or federal level.

Newspapers watch what our elected leaders do, and how they use our money. Newspapers also keep tabs on how tuition is spent and representations of the university in general.

When a newspaper is tied to a body it reports on, it is limited in its ability to report objectively and without fear of reprimand. There is too much at risk for the writers and editors of the student publication.

Institutions around the country should let go of their student newspapers. These publications should have the chance to be truly independent and take on the community it reports so that students know how their interests are being served.