Famed journalist Finley Peter Dunne once said that the job of a newspaper is to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

After reading a couple of recent stories in this newspaper, I couldn't agree with Ol' Finley more.

I've not always agreed with the editorial stance taken by this newspaper. I have butted heads with the editorial board on more than one occasion.

However, the position The Southern Illinoisan has taken regarding the actions of the John A. Logan board and Southern Illinois University makes me proud and puts me in the position of cheerleader, saying "go get 'em."

Let me explain.

Almost begrudgingly, the JALC board adopted a new hiring policy that has strict guidelines on the employment of family members of trustees, administration and full-time faculty and staff at the college.

The policy defines family as husband, wife, child or child's spouses, parent or parent's spouse, brother or brother's spouse, sister or sister's spouse. Additionally, the policy includes domestic partners and any individuals living in the same household.

Even though the long-overdue policy is comparable with shutting the barn door after the livestock have gotten out, the board should be commended for taking the action. However, my kudos stop there because after reading some of the comments made by board members, it's apparent that some of this group simply doesn't get it.

Consider this statement made by board chairman Don Brewer during an open meeting:

"The only thing I question is the extensiveness of the exclusions we are talking about. With all those exclusions in there, do you think you will still get quality people?" asked Brewer. "Will it hurt the caliber of candidates that you draw?"

Board member Carol Farner also expressed concerns during the same meeting that exclusions could put limitations on qualified applicants for certain specialized positions at the college.

What?

I have to believe that my reaction to those comments was shared with countless other residents. First, how could anybody make a statement like that with a straight face, and secondly "you must be kidding."

It would seem that some board members believe the application pool for jobs at JALC will be dumbed down unless prospective employees share a bloodline, a bed or breakfast with a board member or administrator.

And at another meeting, Farner continued to chew on her foot by making yet another outlandish comment.

Farner said she "could live with the way the policy is written," but, she said an informal poll she took at different restaurants showed "five very, very prominent places" did employ family members.

I would suggest that Farner go back to those "prominent places" and inquire if taxpayers are paying the bills and the salary of the employees. Perhaps JALC should start a new class - mandatory for board members - called Nepotism 101 that explains the difference between "private" versus "public."

The words of Finley Peter Dunne rang loud when I read the comments from board member William Kilquist, who complained about newspaper coverage of the hiring policy and comments made by members of the public on The Southern Illinoisan's online edition.

"There have been some articles in the newspaper - pressure by the newspaper - and in my opinion, The Southern Illinoisan has no corner on morals and ethics. And in my opinion, the blogs are yellow journalism at its best," Kilquist said.

Borrowing a line from my late mother, "if you can't stand the heat, Mr. Kilquist ? get out of the kitchen."

Instead of being lambasted, The Southern Illinoisan and reporter Becky Malkovich should be commended for keeping the story alive and the public informed about the obvious nepotism problems at JALC.

A second story that had me cheering this week involved The Southern and the Anna Gazette-Democrat filing a lawsuit against Southern Illinois University and Chancellor Walter Wendler in response to the university's denial of Freedom of Information Act requests.

The two newspapers filed the request asking for copies of employment contracts for Wendler, as well as SIUC President Glenn Poshard, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director Mike Lawrence, former SIU President James Walker and Paul Simon Public Policy Institute visiting professor John Jackson.

In simple terms, so some members of the JALC board will understand, these contracts are paid for by public funds - taxpayers' money - which means the public has every right to know what those salaries are, period.

Many times during his career as an elected official, a candidate and while he was trying to weed out corruption at Rend Lake Conservancy District, I've heard Poshard make the comment that "shining a bright light" is the best way to keep government honest.

I would hope in his new role as president at SIUC, he would adhere to that same philosophy.

Looking back over the past week, I'm convinced that Dunne's words - "the job of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" - are more true now than they were when he made that comment nearly a century ago.

Think about those words and then consider this.

Earlier this week, I received word that Kim Stubblefield, a cancer-stricken West Frankfort woman, had received disability benefits after being turned down several times. The Southern highlighted her story and kept it in the news, and I have to believe that maybe, just maybe, we played a small role in helping her, or comforting the afflicted.

Couple Stubblefield's story with the two stories about those "comfortable" folks at two of our area colleges and, in my estimation, it's been a good week in the newspaper business.

JIM MUIR'S column appears every Thursday in The Southern. He can be reached at writeon1@shawneelink.net.