Censorship Charged at College Papers

THE regents who govern three Oklahoma colleges say they will investigate whether publications at the schools have been victimized by censorship, editorial restrictions, and administrative pressures.

The Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges ordered the investigations at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and East Central University after the Oklahoma chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) lodged formal complaints.

According to SPJ complaints, student reporters for The Southeastern in Durant ``are regularly discouraged by the university administration from reporting on campus issues.''

Newspaper adviser Harold Stenass allegedly was harassed last year after a column in the publication criticized the Miss Southeastern beauty pageant. He later learned his contract would not be renewed for the 1994-95 academic year, SPJ says.

At East Central in Ada, ``students have no control over the editorial content of the college's official newspaper, the East Central Journal,'' a complaint said.

Officials at the three universities have denied the allegations.