RIT Student Advocate student publication

In 1967, a walkout occurred with the staff of the Reporter, RIT's official publication run by students. According to the first issue of The Student Advocate, this was the second massive staff walkout in five months. The reasons given were Institute-inflicted self-consciousness over what was to be published, lack of autonomy for student staffers, complete absence of financial responsibility, and strong-arming of power displayed by the Director of the School of Printing, Hector Sutherland. At this time many of the staff resigned from their positions. Conflict between students on the staff and the School of Printing had been smoldering underground for at least three years. Some remaining students on the staff attempted to resolve the conflict but were not successful.

Students were criticized by Sutherland for both the direction the paper had taken, and the style of writing. They were told to "shape up" or they would need to find production facilities other than the School of Printing, apparently because the publication was part of a journalism-printing curriculum which gave the powers that be in the School of Printing the upper hand.

The Student Activities Board (SAB) brought the involved principals together in an attempt to arrive at a solution. What came out of that meeting was a strong feeling in support of a student controlled press was sorely needed on campus so the SAB offered financial support, and approved a constitution on March 27th establishing The Student Advocate.