On Nov. 8, student staff members at the Daily Trojan, the paper of the University of Southern California, re-elected their editor in chief, Zach Fox, in a vote of 37 to 21. But the vote was overturned by one voice: the university’s administrator.

Michael L. Jackson, the vice president of Student Affairs at the University of Southern California, decided not to present Fox before the university’s Media Board, which plays an advisory role for student media on campus. The reason Jackson gave for not presenting Fox for approval was that “the objectives outlined in his application do not agree with the requirements and primary responsibilities” of the editor in chief position.

No matter what the reason for withholding Fox’s nomination, it comes as a slap in the face to the staff members of the Daily Trojan. Though the newspaper is technically published by the University of Southern California, its guidelines for operation call the publication “a valuable aid in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion.” The administration has voided that guideline in denying Fox the post.

It is also difficult to see what is so outrageous about Fox’s proposals. Fox said the that the editor in chief should stop overseeing daily newspaper production and hand off the responsibility to the managing editor, in favor of working on more long-term projects. It hardly seems that this lofty goal is a reason to deny his presentation to the Media Board, an unprecedented move in the past 36 years.

It is difficult not to wonder what Jackson’s true motive was in preventing Fox’s application from even reaching the media board. Based on precedent, the application process with the board would have been a perfunctory measure. Still, Jackson could have raised his objections during the board meeting in an adequate manner because he is a member of that board. Instead, he chose to act in a way that would prevent the board from even considering Fox for the position. Given Jackson’s previous conflicts with Fox, especially over whether the paper should have access to the budget numbers, it is hard to believe that his actions were entirely in good faith.

Events like this allow us to take a step back and realize the value that independent media has for a college campus. Employees of The Daily Illini have no need to fear for their jobs for publishing breaking stories on tuition increases, criticizing our administrators and demanding to see the paper’s budget.

If the University of Southern California wants to give its student journalists practical newsroom experience, it must also give them independence. Such blatant disregard for the students’ wishes bodes ill for the prosperity of the Daily Trojan and for the university.