By Amanda Cedrone

Budding journalists, old newsies and concerned citizens alike now have a new ally.

The New England First Amendment Center opened to the public. The center is a product of the partnership between The New England First Amendment Coalition and the Northeastern University School of Journalism, according to a release from the university.

The Center, located 102 Lake Hall, will hold training sessions and seminars on obtaining information for both public officials and journalists, said Stephen Burgard, director of the School of Journalism. The funding for the center’s future endeavors will come from news organizations throughout the New England area, Burgard said.

“We run into problems all the time getting access to public documents, which we should be able to get under the law,” said journalism professor Walter Robinson, who helped coordinate the center. “Since [September 11], government at all levels has made a lot of information secret. How can a democracy function properly if the public and press do not have access to what elected and appointed officials have done?”

Robinson said talk of the center first arose last year when a group of editors and journalists of the New England First Amendment Coalition decided something needed to be done to defend the right for access to government following the September 11 attacks. The coalition decided Northeastern with its involvement in the community with co-ops and experienced staff, would be the perfect partner, he said.

“The university has been very supportive; everyone from the president down believes the center will serve a very important function that will help the press and public,” Robinson said.

After a year in the making, the website will provide information to journalists and citizens on how to access public information, as well as a house blog to keep the public informed of First Amendment issues facing the New England area, Burgard said.

s and public,” Robinson said.

Some students said they thought the Center was a long time coming.

“[The Center] feels like the right thing, which should have been done a while ago, and I’m glad to see it’s finally being done,” said freshman journalism major Jon Palmer.

Burgard said he is enthusiastic about the partnership between the coalition and Northeastern.

“The university School of Journalism has a role in educating future journalists as well as contributing to public understanding of free press and public information issues,” he said.

There is a need for increased understanding of how to obtain public information, even for news organizations, Burgard said.

After the forming of the partnership between the New England First Amendment Coalition and Northeastern in spring 2007, the university provided a template for the website, and graduate students began work on the task of researching public policy laws in various states.

The excitement created by the center is not limited to the world of journalism. Megan Felter, a senior anthropology major, said she would utilize the seminars because she knows little about trolling through public records.

“I think that’s a good idea. I feel like a lot of stuff has been shady since [Sept. 11],” Felter said. “I hear people talking about access to public documents, but I don’t actually know how to do it.”

Students can access the Center’s website and blog at northeastern.edu/firstamendment.