The Collegian, Los Angeles City College’s student paper has received a little bit of extra support in its fight against college president Jamillah Moore for First Amendment rights. Yesterday, California State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) sent a letter to Moore asking her to “Respect the rights of student reporters as well as the school employees,” according to a statement.

Moore has come under scrutiny in recent days after students and faculty reported that she tried to “seize editorial control of the student newspaper, The Collegian,” the statement read. The university administration has attempted to lump the newspaper into the student activities department, which many believe would limit the editorial power of the students.

The Collegian, which is supported financially by the college, also had its budget cut by 40 percent, while other departments and student organizations were only cut by 15 percent. Further actions, including a reportedly retaliatory letter to a department chair accused of releasing a public document to the newspaper, have further raised concerns.

Yee condemned Moore’s actions yesterday, calling them “disturbing” and “prohibited by California law.” The senator, who previously authored two articles that explicitly protect the free speech rights for college newspapers, has been a firm proponent of student free press. The laws made it illegal to censor student press and prohibited employees and faculty from helping students to utilize those rights.

The complaints against Moore were covered last month in the Los Angeles Times, which reported accusations made by Collegian advisor Rhonda Guess that Moore was “bullying” the students who worked for the newspaper.

Academic Senate President Ken Sherwood has denied the president’s actions were considered bullying, but said Moore was instead trying to save the paper from being cut altogether. California State Dominguez Hills recently cut its student newspaper from the university budget to save $76,000 per year, according to the L.A. Times.

In addition to receiving discontentment from state congress people, LACC administrators have met the scorn of college newspapers from around the country. A joint editorial signed by 17 student papers, including The Sun, explained that Moore has, “made calculated attempts to hinder the students’ right to a free press,” and condemned her actions.

LACC joins a number of other colleges whose freedom of the press has been put in jeopardy in recent years, including University of Pittsburgh, the University of New Mexico and the University of Oregon.