The unofficial student guide called Purple can't be found in the campus bookstore because the university doesn't want it there.Last spring, after representatives from Purple approached Norris Bookstore about stocking the guide, bookstore employees sought permission from administrators. According to editors of the book (available at www.nupurple.com) and Norris Bookstore employees, administrators from student affairs prohibited the book from being sold in the bookstore. Student affairs employees have denied involvement.
"We asked around in Norris and we were told there was a problem with accuracies, and student affairs had said we shouldn't sell it," said Charles Depondt, textbook manager at Norris Bookstore.
Most stocking decisions do not get authorized by administrators, said Depondt. However, administrators review "everything that has something to do with Northwestern," he said.
The book has sold more than 1000 copies since its creation in 2002. Purple creator and recent McCormick graduate Jeff Schell said the administration's actions were "unfortunate."
According to editors of Purple, administrators did not specifically state which sections or phrases were supposedly inaccurate.
"They never pointed out something specific," said Majid Boroujerdi, chief editor of Purple. "They just may have different opinions on the subjective material and they consider that inaccuracy."
He said the book emphasizes "not holding anything back and telling it how it is. Northwestern doesn't like that."
Boroujerdi, a McCormick senior, guessed that administrators may have found concerns with the sections on fraternity and sorority life. He said that the Greek section is often considered offensive, although the book also criticizes professors and administrators.
Ironically, Norris Bookstore is currently honoring "Banned Books Week" by "celebrating the freedom to read." Their Web site encourages students "to pick up books that have been banned and threatened throughout history."
Unfortunately, censorship is quietly thriving at Northwestern. If current students want to find the books that have been banned and threatened by university administrators, they shouldn't expect to find them on the shelves at Norris Bookstore.
Mary Desler, associate vice president of student affairs, denied any involvement in the prohibition of Purple. Suellen Johnson, associate director of operations at Norris University Center, also said that she had no knowledge of the situation. Members of Associated Student Government are informally investigating the book ban.
Editor in Chief Sarah Junk is a Medill junior. Contact her at s-junk@northwestern.edu.
