The First Amendment suffered a major blow last week when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a college censorship case.

The case, Hosty v. Carter, concerns a college newspaper's right to be free from censorship and prior review from college officials.

By not hearing the case, the Supreme Court let the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling stand, which states that because high school newspapers can be censored, college newspapers can be as well.

Although the decision only directly affects the three states in the circuit — Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin — it could be used by some college administrators in other states as an example of something they could try.

The implications of the decision are frightening. College newspapers have traditionally been able to claim a high level of protection from censorship.

By saying it's OK for college administrators to review newspapers before they go to press, there is potential for important information to be killed before it gets to the page.

The State News isn't in much danger of getting censored by MSU.

It's been an independent student newspaper since 1971, which means the student editorial staff has sole control of the newspaper's content.

But many college newspapers aren't that lucky.

Sometimes newspapers put out by smaller colleges and student groups are censored and changed before publication or not published at all.

Stories that are deemed too controversial for the student body or reflect poorly on the administration don't get published and discussion doesn't occur.

Many of these college administrators, like the ones in high school, are afraid of the issues that are being printed. They don't want to admit that controversial issues are being talked about and don't want to acknowledge that students are interested in reading about them.

A column about sex in one college newspaper in North Carolina was deemed disruptive to the community and became the reason the college wanted to be more involved in reviewing content before it was published.

Censoring college publications means students might graduate without getting the chance to read and be educated about issues on the campus.

College newspapers are being encouraged to declare their publication a "designated public forum" so college officials know the newspaper is a place for members of the community to learn and express their own views.

They need to declare that the newspaper is not just a public relations tool for the college.

Beyond that, college officials all over the country need to make a commitment to the freedom of the press at their institution: Even though the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it might be OK to censor a newspaper in some circumstances, that doesn't make it right.

The freedom of the press has already been compromised in high schools.

We need to make sure that doesn't happen in colleges as well.