According to a class syllabus for Economics 381 “Inside Hedge Funds,” students who work with Duke’s school newspaper, The Chronicle, are not welcome. 

“Students will be asked to keep the information shared by some of our guest speakers confidential,” the syllabus reads. “Anyone who is on the staff of The Chronicle is not permitted to take this class. Let’s honor this so that we can continue to get high quality visitors and information.”

With the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers scandals, both of which held accountable hedge funds and international financiers, the relationship between journalists and hedge funds hasn’t been the most trusting. University officials explained that the rule was meant to clarify that guest speakers and their conversations with students should be “off-the-record” even though that phrase was never used in the syllabus.

The rule, which was listed in both the fall 2014 and fall 2015 versions as well, has been removed from the syllabus. The university said there is no evidence that it was ever enforced, although whether or not any students chose against taking the course for that reason is unknown.

To read the full story by Inside Higher Ed, click here.