Dear Colgate Community,

As we begin our term as Editors-in-Chief of The Colgate Maroon-News, we reflect on our experience with collegiate journalism and the role our university’s newspaper plays in the Colgate community. A university campus is a truly unique environment, one that stimulates intellectual curiosity, social development and personal growth. As writers, we are tasked to capture political initiatives, breakthroughs in research, artistic expressions and athletic triumphs through the written word. As editors, we proudly uphold journalistic best practices and work to create a cohesive narrative that justly conveys the robust society in which we live. Within this unique environment, we not only recognize exciting achievements, but are also challenged to report on adversities that reflect the precarious political and social reality of our country today. 

Racial injustices, political antagonism, social violence and disrespect are prevalent throughout the nation and on Colgate’s campus. While recognition of these and related issues is important, we believe that continued discussion is even more vital for the future of our university and the health and happiness of each individual. Therefore, our goal for the 2017-2018 academic year is to ensure that The Colgate Maroon-News serves as an extension of and marketplace for productive dialogue.

Using the unifying theme of Inclusion to guide our editorial endeavors and initiatives, we plan to facilitate a space for all to find their voice. The Colgate Maroon-News will, first and foremost, be a physical embodiment of inclusion. We will expand the breadth of our content by working closely with student-led groups, members of the administration, faculty, staff and members of the Hamilton community to publish a diverse body of opinions, expertise and experiences. We hope that everyone who reads The Colgate Maroon-News will be able to see their ideas or perspectives represented, and will also have the opportunity to engage with opinions that challenge those ideas. 

Second, we plan to carry our commitment to inclusion into the digital medium as well. While historically our strength has resided in print journalism, we have developed our online presence with The Colgate Maroon-News website and on popular social media platforms. This year, with the help of a newly appointed video editor and multimedia team, we aim not only to improve the look and user experience of our website, but also use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as spaces that will contribute to the longevity of and continued engagement with our published content. 

Finally, inclusion will serve as a means to connect Colgate across time and space. By reaching out and urging alumni to contribute to our print and digital voice, we hope to give current students a glimpse of life after Colgate from those who share and have lived our university’s values and traditions.

We are honored to lead such an inspiring group of students this year and celebrate our university’s written tradition as we enter the 150th year of The Colgate Maroon-News. Though it has gone by different names and has seen a revolving door of student staff, The Colgate Maroon-News has been the voice of the Colgate community for over a century. In order for that to continue, we must strive to continually represent the diverse voices on this campus. If you want to add your voice to the conversation, please reach out to our staff or email us at [email protected]. We look forward to working with you over the coming year.

Your Editors-in-Chief,

Jackie Dowling & Megan Leo

 

Contact Jackie Dowling and Megan Leo at [email protected] and [email protected].