UM president says on-air ban of patriotic symbols was 'wrong'

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri-owned television station made a "wrong decision" in banning news people from wearing patriotic symbols on the air, the university president said.

But President Manuel Pacheco told state legislators he still supported the right of KOMU-TV's news director to set station policy.

Pacheco made the comments Wednesday in response to criticism from a state lawmaker during an appropriations committee meeting in Jefferson City.

"I am not just offended by this decision. I'm outraged. This is America. We need to support our troops now," state Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, told Pacheco.

Pacheco replied that he shared Cunningham's concern, and that he considered news director Stacy Woelfel's policy to be a "wrong decision."

But Pacheco said he stood by Woelfel's right to make the decision.

Woelfel did not immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press seeking comment. But Woelfel has said the policy was to demonstrate that the NBC affiliate, while owned by the taxpayer-supported university, isn't influenced by any government in its reporting.

Symbols banned

Shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, Woelfel sent an e-mail to KOMU staffers saying patriotic symbols such as lapel ribbons would not be allowed for on-air anchors and reporters.

On Oct. 10, the university's governing Board of Curators voted unanimously to endorse patriotic displays among staff and students. The board oversees University of Missouri campuses at Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis.

University spokesman Joe Moore said at the time that the resolution would not force KOMU to change its policy, although the curators' meeting was held in response to it.

Cunningham also complained to Pacheco about a recent vote by the Columbia campus student government association against a resolution expressing support for U.S. troops.

"What is the teaching going on that would reflect in that?" she asked Pacheco. But student critics of the resolution said at the time of the vote that it went much further than praising troops to take political stands.

Pacheco told Cunningham that he didn't think the vote reflected the opinions of most students at the Columbia campus.