(The Lion) — A Springfield news organization that claims to be independent has extensive financial and personnel ties to Missouri State University (MSU), raising concerns about its objectivity.

The Springfield Daily Citizen, which lost $527,181 in 2023 according to financial documents examined by The Lion, appears to depend in part on funding from Missouri State University (MSU) or people with ties to the university, while also frequently publishing opinion pieces from university advocates.

Questions about its independence have been raised since at least two years ago when Daily Citizen Chief Executive Officer David Stoeffler wrote a column defending the nonprofit “because it sometimes comes up in conversations around the community.”

The first issue Stoeffler addresses is the outlet’s presence on the campus of MSU, made possible by a facility use agreement. It suggests that partnership is at the heart of community concerns about independence. Indeed, Stoeffler writes, “Our collaboration with MSU has been a key part of our successful launch.”

This year the facility agreement is valued at “at roughly $70,000 out of a budget of more than $1.5 million,” Stoeffler told the Lion in an email. “Missouri State has no control or involvement in Daily Citizen newsroom activities or editorial decisions,” he also said.

However, in addition to the lease agreement with the university, at least two of its five board members are listed on the Daily Citizen website as having direct ties to the university.

Thomas J. Carlson, the publisher and chairman of the board, previously served as a member of the MSU Board of Governors. Another board member, Suzanne Shaw, is vice president for marketing and communications at the university.

But the influence of MSU becomes more apparent when looking at how the paper is staffed.

Managing Editor Harrison Keegan is an MSU graduate, as is Zee Herzog, the subscription sales manager. In fact, seven of the 16 staffers listed on the website are graduates of the university.

The editorial page also reveals university connections.

Three of the opinion contributors who show up consistently, week after week, also have ties to the university.

Clif Smart, the former president of MSU who signed the donated facilities agreement with the Daily Citizen, is a consistent contributor, not just of opinion, but also money.

Smart and his wife are listed as contributing $25,000 or more to the Daily Citizen, putting them among top donors in the “Chairman’s Circle,” according to records maintained by the outlet.

The former university chief often appears on the pages of the publication arguing on behalf of the special interests of the university.

In December, for example, Smart argued in favor of federal pork-barrel spending called earmarks for the university, even as Congress was fighting back against being railroaded by its leadership into approving a 1500-page, pork-laden budget bill lawmakers weren’t allowed to read or debate.

The bill was subsequently defeated with the help of U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri.

This month, Smart again appeared on the pages of the Daily Citizen to advocate for MSU.

This time the issue was about allowing the university to issue doctoral and engineering degrees.

Also making weekly appearances on the website are Judith Martínez-García, a tenured professor at MSU, and Brian Fogle, who just retired as chief executive officer of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO).

According to the 2023 financial report, CFO made close to $500,000 in cash grants to MSU under Fogle, including a $318,772 donation, which ranks among the largest that year. (Fogle’s daughter Betsy represents Springfield in the Missouri House of Representatives and is the top Democrat on the Budget Committee.)

Similar CFO grants to MSU were listed in reports for 2022 and 2021.

In the 2023 and 2022 reports, Gail Smart, wife of Clif Smart, is listed as a board member as well.

When asked about the op-eds by The Lion, Stoeffler did not deny the university ties, but explained the opinion section “represents just a small fraction of our overall content – less than 5% of our published articles in our three years of operation.”

“Readers can judge our independence for themselves,” he also said. “I can say with certainty that MSU officials are not always happy with our coverage…”

But for those in the community who’ve been asking about the Daily Citizen’s independence, it may seem like the news outlet is a satellite of the university, at least as long as the mass of people associated with it also have strong ties to the school.