Dear Reader,
In the final edition of The Lawrentian last year, I submitted a letter similar to this one in which I discussed some of the changes that have been made to our organization and what we plan to do moving forward. I now write to provide you with an update!
Over the summer, I dug into the basics of what an organization, particularly a student news organization, needs to be successful. Success is subjective, so let me explain.
A successful student newspaper is accessible in terms of content and involvement — the words written are understandable, and being involved as a staff member or as a source is truly attainable. The experiences and education available within the organization promote equitable opportunities for journalism experience and learning.
Additionally, a successful student newspaper publishes the truth and is cognizant of the impact its publication has on the surrounding community. Aware of this responsibility, the organization takes care to represent its community respectfully and accurately by verifying its information prior to publication and seeking information from multiple sources.
Finally, a successful student newspaper recognizes that its staff are students — fully aware of the benefits and limitations this may provide. The organization does not interfere with this education but, rather, supports it by providing an additional opportunity for experiential learning.
Accessibility, truth and humanity are what I seek to promote with the rest of my tenure as Editor-in-Chief.
Part of this, I believe, involves being transparent about our organization. Because of this — and to create sustainable change within The Lawrentian for future leaders — I have been working on The Lawrentian handbook. The handbook lays out our guiding principles, procedures, job descriptions, etc. It isn’t complete yet, but you can access it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWuMyExePKKQm4IJuydT0nqWKeHnwh9MByGz5bAzEeIkUIcQ/viewform.
I will continuously be working on this handbook, and you will be able to see progress in real time.
Additionally, I would like to provide the links to our story proposal form and feedback submission form. Those can be found by following these links: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScumXE8x8IAML3_JRFIBq0N1eQtpf-LtNnVa9wfEMIVFQhy2A/viewform, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWuMyExePKKQm4IJuydT0nqWKeHnwh9MByGz5bAzEeIkUIcQ/viewform.
I’m looking forward to another term of learning and growing through this role. Thank you for reading and for being a member of our community!
Molly Ruffing, Editor-in-Chief