For many years I have had nothing but respect for the Spectrum publication. However, on this occasion I regret that the publication of an article, laced with misinformation, could so easily get published in Spectrum. The fact that your publication enjoys worldwide circulation and you would publish an article without attempting to vary the facts brings you into the common circle of those who are committed to sensationalism. This is unfortunate.

To imply that the President was less than honest because a news paper article said so reflects poorly on Spectrum. I would recommend that basic checks and balances be used to ascertain what are facts and fiction.

Spectrum,on this occasion you did not do well. I wonder how much else I have previously read in your publication that is mere transfer of false information. I give you the benefit of the doubt that this is not a practice.

I know the origin and history of Spectrum. Those who set this publication in motion were in search of truth. "Veritas", upholding the virtue of truthfulness, was of paramount importance. I hope in your quest for the popular mind you have not lost your way.

Trevor Gardner, President
University of the Southern Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago

Mr. Gardner,

I am not the one who posted this report, and do not intend to speak for the one who did. However, a couple of responses are in order.

First, you will notice that this is not a report written by Spectrum. The article is the work of the Trinidad Express, as noted at the top of the article, reprinted here for the sake of informing Spectrum readers of the reports coming out of Trinidad/Tobago. Any alleged misinformation or implications are solely those of the Express. As one whose job requires frequent communication with the media, one might expect that the president would make such a distinction.

Second, if, as you suggest, there are factually incorrect statements provided in the Trinidad Express report, comments correcting the errors would be of more benefit to readers than accusations of sensationalism. Spectrum welcomes corrections, but none have thus far been offered.

Thank you for your expressed concern, and your comments clarifying the errors you perceive in the report.

Mr. Gardner,

We do aim to get things right and our record stands strong in the church.

Of course, as Jared notes, we didn't do the original reporting. As you'll see by clicking on the Campus News section, most of the material there is reprinted for the purpose of expanding awareness of news regarding Adventist education.

You write:

. . .without attempting to vary the facts brings you into the common circle of those who are committed to sensationalism. . . . To imply that the President was less than honest because a news paper article said so reflects poorly on Spectrum.

I'm not sure what you mean by "vary the facts" as this was reprinted from another paper. It's not sensationalism, which gives us too much credit. Spectrum is a tiny non-profit and, frankly, the benefit to the Adventist community of sharing information means that very occasionally when we share what a respectable news source is saying, we have to rely on their work. Think of it as the visual analogy to saying over potluck with friends: did you read the article about USC in the paper?

As such, Spectrum certainly did not "imply" anything. It was reprinted with attribution, as is common blogging protocol. I can understand your frustration, but a simple correction of the record would suffice.

Furthermore, I did not and have not seen an official response from the school regarding this report.

http://usc.edu.tt/index.php/Table/USC-Campus-News/

Nor have I seen a correction issued by the Trinidad Express.

Bottom line: Spectrum did not comment on the substance of the article as reported by a significant paper in the region. If you would like to make a specific correction to their "facts" as reprinted by Spectrum, feel free to send it over.

We respect the integrity of our leaders in education and value truth about our institutions.

alexander[at]spectrummagazine[dot]org

Maybe the goal of Spectrum since its beginnings -- has evolved from "truth seeking" to "sensationalism." As a new reader, I would place Spectrum in the tabloid category, and am surprised to read that it had a goal of "truth seeking" in the past.

That is why I pray that new Adventists do not find the sensational Spectrum site filled with what I would say are "gossip-seeker" and "dirt seeker" articles that are quickly posted for the world to read (intermingled with a bit of truth). A little poison with your truth anyone? I would welcome a 100% "truth seeking" site.

I like posting "warnings for the new reader." Beware of Spectrum articles -- check out the facts . . .

Jody ;)

Jody:

Perhaps you would care to supply some facts to substantiate your charges of 'sensationalism', 'tabloid', 'gossip-seeker', 'dirt seeker', 'poison'.

You have now delivered several drive-by postings where you essentially slander Spectrum without so much as a simple reason besides what appears to be your visceral prejudice.

Aside from being annoying, this frankly makes you look bad. You shoot and run. This not dialog and doesn't likely make converts to your viewpoint. Perhaps it gives you some pleasure to condemn others from your self-perceived high moral ground. But I would suspect that if you ever did engage with the various participants who regularly post here, you might find the situation harder for you. Is that why you don't?

I agree that it was unfortunate that Alexander Carpenter did not attempt to verify the allegations in this article by, at least, attempting to contact someone at USC before posting it. I agree that the article is quite harsh on a fellow Adventist institution. I agree that it was a mistake to repost an article from "The Trinidad Express" on our website.

Alexander is not being fully honest when he says "Spectrum did not comment on the substance of the article as reported by a significant paper in the region. If you would like to make a specific correction to their "facts" as reprinted by Spectrum, feel free to send it over". To suggest that USC should correct an article we reposted after we've already published it as being standard operating procedure is wrong. To suggest that we don't fact check the reporting of secular (or religious) press coverage of Adventist institutions is wrong.

One factor is the lack of personal ties we have with USC. I'm not suggesting racism is a factor but in my view USC was slighted by our publishing this without contacting them- a slight that wouldn't cross any of our (web team members) minds when dealing with PUC or FHCHS or any other North American institution like USC. We have debated reposting other articles on Adventist institutions and come to the conclusion that we should wait until a matter is resolved or more facts are available.

I fully support and agree with the complaint by Trevor Gardner and ask that this article be taken down. I am sure that if contacted, if not before then now, he or another USC person would be happy to talk to us. Frankly I found the publication of this article troubling considering internal conversations we've had on other stories and reading President Gardner's letter makes me more determined in seeing the publication of this article as a breach of our standards which should be applied equally to schools in the Caribbean, Africa, Central America and all the other parts of the world that are outwith the United States.

As one minority member of Spectrum's web team, and being who I am, I must speak to this though I am sure Alex will bristle at the suggestion that a lack of consideration was shown to USC.

Johnny puts forth some valid points in my view.

How reliable is the Trinidad Express? Is that the main newspaper for Trinidad? How about an update?

Johnny:

I concur with your call for taking the article down, though for a different reason. The article Spectrum has reproduced is copyrighted, with "all rights reserved." I see no indication that permission was obtained before posting it on Spectrum's Web site.

Interesting.

1. As much as I respect presidental furor, I'm still awaiting actual facts on the USC side of this story. See unaddressed comment above.

2. I was notified of this via a USC grad.

3. The Express is a relatively responsible paper. I asked the same question as Carmen It is no tabloid and, again, I'm still awaiting contrary evidence.

4. Johnny, you're not the only minority on our team.

5. We have a years long precedent of reprinting pertinent article on this site.

Spectrum

As a friend of USC I believe the article from the Trinidad Express is tendencious (I believe this is a matter of opinion and such is mine). As a friend of Spectrum I believe it seeks truth. Truth is a family affair, meaning, we are best served when we deal with truth within the boundaries of trust. I trust more Dr. Gardner than the local newspaper (this is a bias in favor of Adventists institutions). In my opinion so shall Spectrum do, unless they are proven guilty of lying (which will require, demand a seeking of facts) we shall favor our own sources instead of outside ones. In the absence of such truth seeking we should abstain from judgements that make us look bad, as a family we protect each other (until we probe that one has lied or done something that demands reprimand).

Those who know me know I am not afraid of giving/receiving reprimands. This time I express one to Spectrum for not seeking truth beyond quoting a non-family member instead of giving the benefit of the doubt to our own (i.e. University of Southern Caribbean). I expect more of Spectrum, I expect us all to behave as family (i.e. in the absence of investigation trust the family member first). The University of Southern Caribbean is a family member, the Trinitarian Express is not.

Johnny Ramirez-Johnson, Sr.

I should note that Alex got the Trinidad Express link from me after seeing my rather facetious Facebook status (Swine Flu at USC? WWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!) He asked about it and I linked him to the article I read, which he subsequently posted. Now personally, I thought that the issue wasn't that much of a big deal, not just because I suspect swine flu is overhyped by the media but also because my own brother who is currently resident in the very dorm referenced was more concerned with gloating about the Lakers than any impending outbreak.

As for the article itself, it was hardly a hatchet job;indeed half of it was essentially a press release from the Ministry of Health. But more importantly, Dr. Gardner actually was contacted by the newspaper and made a statement: "With respect to the two cases, the ministry told us that only one person tested positive. No other case tested positive and as a result we are being guided by the ministry's protocols." I haven't seen where it was implied that this wasn't true other than the word of two anonymous students. This leads me to suspect that the issue is not so much of lack of USC's side but the irritating presence of the students' side.

I presume that some would have preferred a fair and balanced article where only Dr. Gardner's response was recorded while the students statements,were ignored. Now if there was a problem with article in terms of veracity, then Alex has offered to entertain a correction but once again, I'm not sure that's really what anyone is interested in. And let's put this in perspective, Spectrum has certainly reported worse stuff in recent time: http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/06/17/breaking_two_adventists_...

I heard about this magazine Spectrum and had to see it myself. So many articles defending the disbelief of La Sierra and one article attacking my school? And so much on homosexuality!

I want to thank you for reposting this article in full. Trinidad Express hides articles behind password control so finding this article here was helpful.

Review don't publish negative stories. I bookmark this web site to come back to read truth of currupt church.

The Swine Flu virus has had a very different trajectory here than the rest of the world for some strange reason. Nobody seems to have died from it however. I wonder whether or not there might be some local resistance to flus based on the fact that Carnival (and other) tourism almost always brings some sort of flu with it here twice a year or more.

On a more related note, I have friends from the University of the Southern Caribbean who called me saying they had left school because "Swine Flu has reached on campus". The hysteria did not seem to last however.

--T.A.G?!

Also, the Express has never had password control. I'm not sure if Robert G. has the right "Express".