The majority of The Daily Orange Editorial Board disagrees with S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ decision to disinvite a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer from its 2014 Fall Workshop. The school gave in to the hysteria surrounding Ebola and disinviting the photographer reflects poorly on Newhouse.

Newhouse disinvited Michel du Cille on Thursday from its Fall Workshop, after a student raised concerns of du Cille potentially bringing the Ebola virus to the SU campus. Du Cille had been in Liberia three weeks earlier photographing the Ebola crisis.

The decision to disinvite du Cille stemmed from the panic surrounding the Ebola virus, not from factual evidence and the actual likelihood of du Cille bringing the disease to SU. Du Cille had monitored his temperature at least twice a day during the commonly-accepted 21-day incubation period for Ebola. He had not shown any symptoms and Ebola is only contagious when it is symptomatic, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Disinviting du Cille reflects poorly on Newhouse and denied students participating in the workshop of a learning experience. The decision has also potentially burned a bridge with du Cille. Instead of falling prey to the hysteria about Ebola, Newhouse should have considered that du Cille had passed the 21-day incubation period and that he was exhibiting no symptoms. This decision could cast a shadow on the prestige of the school in years to come.

Three out of eight members of The Daily Orange Editorial Board supported Newhouse’s decision, saying that any possibility that du Cille might have Ebola warranted Newhouse disinviting him. The members believe that du Cille taking part in the workshop was not worth the risk of Ebola potentially coming to campus, especially considering that there have been some concerns raised over the accuracy of the 21-day incubation period. The minority of the Editorial Board stands by the decision of the administration.

Regardless of the decision made by Newhouse, hopefully the school’s relationship with du Cille is not completely ruined. We encourage du Cille to eventually visit SU’s campus to work with the students who missed out on his presence at Fall Workshop.