In response to recent controversy regarding the University Book Store's decision to pull a student-produced calendar featuring female UW students from its shelves, the company distributed a press release Wednesday to clarify the justification for their action.

In the press release, Bryan Pearce, chief executive officer of the University Book Store Inc. shed further light on the matter by dispelling speculation within the media.

"We are now commenting on this issue because the media coverage has suggested that the decision to remove the calendar from our selling floor had to do with the subject matter of the calendar or complaints we have received, which is absolutely not the case," Pearce said in the press release.

Despite speculation that the U-Book Store acted on the basis of censorship and in response to complaints from students who feel the calendars promote the objectification of women, the U-Book Store contends the move was purely a financial one.

"The reason we chose to discontinue sale of the calendars was because we were asked to remove any references to the UW Business School and the entrepreneurship class students in connection with the calendars," according to the press release. "This effectively changed the nature of the product, the prearranged promotional plan and the Book Store's ability to sell the remaining calendars."

When agreeing to sell student-created products, it is the policy of the U-Book Store to make clear to customers that the item is a product of student efforts, and which organization will benefit from profits.

"A key element of our arrangement was that we would promote the calendar as a UW Business School entrepreneurship student project. ... This puts the product in a special context, and helps us sell the products we purchase, since the price points are usually higher than comparable merchandise," according to the press release. "Emphasis is placed on the higher purpose for offering the product, which is to benefit UW student groups."

However, after the calendars received critical attention from media and student groups due to allegedly controversial content, U-Book Store representatives said they received a request that any connection between the calendars and the school not be posted.

Zachary Meissner, a senior and co-creator of Heatwave Media, the company that produced the calendars, said the complaint letter against the calendar came from a student group made up of mostly junior and senior undergraduates from the UW women studies program.

"I would say that the claims within the letter have some validity," Meissner said. "However, they are indicative of problems within our general society rather than specific issues with the calendar in its context. When we were designing the calendar, it was hard to find a balance between using tact and making it tasteful, and something that would sell well. Ultimately, someone would have been upset with it no matter what we decided to do."

Despite missing a venue for their product, the members of Heatwave Media said they do not believe that the U-Book Store is practicing censorship, and they understand why officials took the actions that they did.

Heatwave Media and U-Book Store officials are currently negotiating to find a solution. According to the U-Book Store press release, the company is willing to compensate the students for unsold calendars to help cover production costs. Members of Heatwave Media said they hope to get the calendars back on the shelf.

"The media has blown up the issue accusing the book store of censoring," Meissner said. "But there is a difference between a government censoring free speech and a business making a justifiable business decision. We aren't passing any judgment at all based on the decision that the Book Store made, but we are trying to abide by our original agreement with them and find a solution that both sides can agree upon."

Heatwave Media members emphasized that there is no dispute between the U-Book Store and their company, only business.

"We've hit a roadblock, but we're trying to progress forward and cooperate with the book store," Meissner said.

Reach reporter Camden Swita at news@thedaily.washington.edu.