what is campus journalism essay

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What is campus journalism & why do students need it.

In 1991, the Philippine Government passed the Campus Journalism Act, one of the strongest laws which supports the development and promotion of student journalism, rights of the youth, and preserving the integrity of student publications. The law also states that anyone who obstructs or coerces any student publication and a student journalist shall be penalized.

Since the 18 th century, students raised their voices to demand social and political changes in their universities and countries. They then began to write letters and petitions as a form of protest. By the end of the 19 th century, universities and colleges in the U.S had weekly newspapers and many of them even had dailies. By 1973, more than 1,200 university newspapers had been published

We’ve all been a part of our school/college newspapers or magazines, be it in photos, published articles, essays, and more. However, there is more to it than just commissioning, writing and editing articles, it fosters a sense of liberalism, freedom of speech, the expression of societal issues, and other ‘tabooed’ topics that you won’t find in textbooks. Typically, a campus newspaper or magazine functions exactly how the media is supposed to – reporting the news, help determine which issues should be discussed, and keep people actively involved in society and politics.

Campus journalism exists in three main forms –

• School-sponsored – where the income arrives from university.
• Independent – a student publication not affiliated with the school
• Online – in the form of blogs, podcasts, or PDF copies of printed versions.

It gives students the opportunity to hone and practice their journalistic skills, and be the voice of change by getting readers to think about pressing issues that they probably wouldn’t have read anywhere else. Certain student communities also look to expand their horizons beyond just the campus, and discuss topics such as gender equality, human rights or even the protection of animals.

One of the biggest benefits of campus journalism is that you never get into trouble, unlike the case with mainstream media in society. However, this does not mean that reportage has ‘no limits’. Campus newspapers and magazines have established certain boundaries and authorities can even take action should these boundaries be crossed. An article in Careers 360 says the The Scholar’s Avenue lost it’s funding after publishing a report on the poor condition of the hospital, at IIT-Kharagpur. However, articles that are controversial in nature often get heavy editing or may even be completely scrapped.

Certain campus newspapers are always solely run by the students themselves, they have a presiding faculty member steering the ship. However, this doesn’t mean you will have to filter out your opinions, the faculty’s sole purpose is to serve as an advisor, that will be instrument in establishment and growth. However, being a part of a dynamic team will teach you soft-skills more than any classroom could, like effective communication and management skills.

Campus Journalism does not have to limit itself to the university level, but should also have an important stake at a National level too. Afterall, the youth are the change makers, and will determine he future of any society by formulating, amending, and implementing national policies.

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InsightOut: The Importance of Student Journalism to Campus Life

Chiara Greco is a fourth-year student studying Philosophy and English at St. Mike ’ s College. Since her second year she has been involved with student journalism and harbours a deep passion for the field. She is currently the Editor in Chief of  The Mike , our official student newspaper.

The Importance of Student Journalism to Campus Life

When I reflect on the importance of student journalism, especially in a time when we have been struck with a global pandemic, my immediate reaction is to create a defence of the field. To rake up all the reasons in my head why student journalism is important and worthwhile. While I can’t be sure where this response came from, I am sure that many people question the choice of being a student journalist—of the added stress without perhaps the large reward or payoff, or even exposure, that professional journalists get in breaking stories. While I’ve been told the career path I have chosen may be a “dying field” I’ve still prospered through my experience and, if anything, this global pandemic has shown me exactly why student journalism is so important.

In a time of social distancing the importance of staying connected through stories, media, and news is so pertinent. Our current global crisis has unveiled the dependence we all have on media and news to connect us. I’ll be the first to admit that virtual living—and learning, for that matter—can be very impersonal, and presents a challenge to most. But the job of student journalists is to bridge this gap between virtual life and ‘normal’ life for students across the university community. Student journalism is a pillar of university life on campus, and with our new-found virtual world, student journalists are those who will form the path towards online community. Stories are the basis of life, the overarching connection we all have to each other, and it is through journalism that these stories get communicated.

While my experience will not speak for everyone, I understand the importance of representing the masses, of being a voice to and for the unheard, and of cultivating a personal experience through our shared stories. Student newspapers like The Mike are an avenue in which this cultivation takes place—and, frankly, it’s hard to imagine university life without student newspapers or the journalists who staff them.

My time at St. Michael’s College has been defined by my involvement with The Mike, starting at the beginning of my second year. From working on the news team to becoming the Editor in Chief, I’ve understood that student journalists have a nuanced responsibility to their peers. We have a responsibility not only to hold our school accountable but also to be a reliable source of student life and news. Integrity, facts, and accountability summarize the three pillars which have come to define my experience of student journalism, and they will continue to guide me through my role with student publications.

Over the summer as I prepared for my role as Editor-in-Chief  I faced many challenges in reinventing the paper as an online periodical. The future of The Mike fell into my hands, and while it may have seemed like a large task to take on, especially with the challenges of the pandemic, I was privileged to represent the St. Mike’s community. As I transitioned into my role I began to prepare for things none of my predecessors had to ready for—how to run a printed student newspaper during a global pandemic. With no precedent,  changing the course of The Mike meant I had to evaluate the immense role student newspapers have within the university community. To put it simply, without student newspapers one of the most crucial aspects of student life would be taken away. In this way, The Mike ’ s achievements and success translate directly into St. Mike’s overall successes and achievements.

For as long as can be remembered The Mike has delivered students with a print version of the paper across campus newsstands. But the newspaper has been forced to make some hard decisions, such as forgoing our printed paper for now. But since The Mike’s inception our intake of news as students has changed drastically. While an online publication may take away the feeling of holding a physical copy of your work, we now rely more than ever on online avenues to give us news and connection, so The Mike ’ s online home has gone through a complete 180.  We’ve changed our website and delivery to allow more students to access and stay up to date with our publication and newsletters.

It is the duty of student journalists to deliver their colleagues’ voices on campus. The importance of cultivating a community across borders is exactly why student journalism is so valuable, because without it the distance between us would be far exacerbated. Student journalists, like professionals in the field, need to become experts on our own community. We need to become a voice for those students who may otherwise not be represented on campus. But this wide range of representation is only accomplished if students contribute their voices. The more voices published in The Mike , the more the diverse and accurate the representation of our community. So while a printed copy of the paper would be an ultimate goal, we have to remember the importance of accessibility and inclusivity when representing the student community. In a time of social distance, it only makes sense for student journalists to present student life as such.

While this pandemic has taught me many things, both good and bad, navigating my role as a student journalist and Editor in Chief of The Mike will perhaps be one of my biggest takeaways. Student journalism is at the heart of every university and college campus. It’s what connects us all.

Read other  InsightOut posts .

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Table of Contents

The role of student publications on campus.

Use:  The video adaptation of this lesson and the script can be used during digital or in-person journalism program orientations, class lectures, or as part of remarks while onboarding new student newspaper staff.

• Complete video adaptation for online teaching (length, 5:52)
• Sample remarks for in-person instruction
• Additional resources for students

The Role of Student Publications on Campus: Video Adaptation

Download in-person instructions

Sample Remarks for In-Person Instruction

Student journalists and publications play a vital role in informing their fellow students about campus events, serving as a check on their school’s administration, and uncovering stories that outside media might miss.

With more and more local news outlets shuttering, many college newspapers are the primary source of information about not only what’s happening on campuses but also their surrounding communities. 

For example, student newspapers across the country covered Black Lives Matter protests of regional and national significance. From The A&T Register at North Carolina A&T State University to The Collegian at California State University Fresno to The Minnesota Daily (a 121-year old student newspaper) at the University of Minnesota, student publications reported on protests on their campuses and across their surrounding communities, shedding light on alleged institutional racism and civil injustice. 

During the pandemic, student publications played a key role in holding administrators and students accountable. For instance, The Michigan Daily exposed a COVID-19 outbreak among the fraternities and sororities at University of Michigan, Arizona State University’s student publication reported on students leaving their dorms while they were supposed to be under quarantine, and the student paper at the University of South Carolina alerted the public to the ways in which the administration was withholding information about COVID-19 clusters. 

Moving forward, student media will continue to have an important role to play.

Types of Student Publications

Publications can have a variety of formats, including print and digital newspapers, student blogs, journals, and class publications.

Most student newspapers fit into one of two broad categories: classroom publications and editorially independent publications.

Classroom papers, sometimes referred to as lab publications, are primarily teaching tools for publishing stories, and the work is usually directed, assigned, and graded by a professor. In this kind of class, your professor can exercise their academic freedom to maintain much more control over what is published. That being said, they still must approach grading and publishing in a viewpoint neutral way. 

With respect to editorially independent papers (which can be funded either through student fees collected by the university or independent sources) students are responsible for content, sometimes with the guidance of a faculty member or an advisor. These advisors act as sounding boards when brainstorming stories, share institutional knowledge, provide advice on ethical issues, and make sure student journalists’ rights are being respected. At public schools and at private schools that commit themselves to free speech, administrators and faculty cannot dictate what can and cannot be published. 

In regard to funding, student publications have the same rights as any other recognized student organization. Administrators and student governments must be viewpoint-neutral when making funding decisions. For example, a school cannot deny or rescind funding based on reporting that represents the school in a negative light or angers alumni and donors.

Protecting Your Rights as Student Journalists

Student publications are protected by the First Amendment at public universities. At private universities, their treatment should be consistent with university policy—which, at most private schools, clearly expresses a commitment to freedom of speech, if not freedom of the press specifically.

Despite robust protections for student journalists, some colleges have attempted to censor or punish student publications, particularly when student journalists have been critical of the administration or have written about topics the administration finds objectionable.

Among some of the tactics administrators have used to silence journalists are defunding a publication, using the threat of an investigation, insisting on prior review before publication, and putting pressure on journalists and student media advisors to steer coverage. 

Having a recorded or written record is key to pushing back against censorship. If anyone does try to silence you, utilize your reporting skills to make sure you maintain a record of communication and alert your advisor. 

Other students, university staff members, and sometimes even administrators, have been known to steal or destroy free papers distributed on campus for publishing unpopular opinions or unfavorable coverage. This kind of action is vandalism or theft and should be treated and reported on as such. 

The best way to protect against censorship, particularly administrative censorship, is to know your rights and make sure your reporting is ethically sound. Good journalism practices should already avoid the kind of unprotected speech, such as obscenity or defamation, that a school might try to use to justify interfering with student editorial judgment.

Be clear with sources about what is on and off the record, make sure you know your state’s laws regarding recording conversations, and always try to clearly identify yourself as an on-duty reporter when attending events you’re covering.

Student publications play a vital role in informing students about events and occurrences on campus, exposing wrongdoing, holding leadership accountable, and informing the larger community about relevant events. In order to perform these important services, publications should be autonomous and free from editorial interference or censorship by administrators. 

Additional Resources for Students

Student Press Censorship — What Does it Look Like?

Under Pressure: The Warning Signs of Student Newspaper Censorship

A Citizen’s Guide to Recording the Police

Student Press Law Center’s Public Records Letter Generator

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The Observer

The importance of student journalism

Beau Bilinovich , Development Editor September 30, 2022

As staff members of The Observer, we like to tout ourselves as the voice of the student body. We are the platform for students from all walks of life and backgrounds, allowing all to share their stories and ideas with the campus community. But what does it actually mean—the voice of the student body? Why does what we, as student journalists, do matter? What’s the point, anyway?

Being a writer, I sometimes ask myself those questions. Whenever I write an article, I feel as if I’m just sending it off into the silent void where, save for a few of my family members (who are awesome), no one truly cares. Of course, that isn’t true. The conversations we as writers create with the community of Case Western Reserve University and the surrounding Cleveland community are important. It’s one of the ways we connect with the people around us.

So what do we gain from student journalism?

Student journalism can act as a model for the real world, where people can freely and openly discuss ideas, debate and point to the problems that need to be addressed. As opposed to state or even federal politics, schools offer a smaller, more confined community. It’s easier to see the effects of a change in, for example, university policy, since we are around each other all the time and see the direct effects immediately. When we familiarize ourselves with campus-wide issues, we can learn to understand strategies for resolving them.

That skill—figuring out how to resolve conflicts—is needed now more than ever. 60% of rural youth and 30% of urban youth live in “civic deserts,” where limited opportunities are available to meet people, discuss issues and address problems. Trying to cure the maladies that plague the country nationally is hard enough. But by engaging in conversations on the campus level, students can more easily meet and find solutions to the issues specific to a school’s community. 

For us at CWRU, that means calling to attention when the administration has an inadequate response to changes in housing policies, as happened last semester, or to the violent crimes that frequent this place we call home—issues that we are all too familiar with. For students at Virginia Commonwealth University, that means being on the front lines and covering police brutality protests. And countless school papers reported on the pandemic and its effects on the student body, including ourselves.

Hence by working together to figure out solutions to the problems affecting the campus community, we can build bridges. Figuring out solutions forces us to see each other. It brings the community closer together. This connection is valuable—especially since we as young adults were affected the most by loneliness and social isolation due to the pandemic.

Student journalism also enables young Americans to have their voices heard, broadcast and uplifted. Much of the political power in this country is held by older Americans: The average ages of members of the Senate and House of Representatives is 62.9 years and 57.6 years, respectively. President Joe Biden is currently the oldest president in history at 79 years old. Moreover, voter turnout for younger Americans in 2020 lagged behind older Americans by about 25%.

Seeing so much authority in the hands of only a fraction of the U.S. population can feel crushing. The connection that student journalists have with their community can help to mitigate these feelings and give young voices a sense of validity, especially when our concerns are often silenced.

No student newspaper is at the same level as The Washington Post or The New York Times. We aren’t Daniel Ellsberg uncovering classified government documents detailing two decades’ worth of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, but our work still has value in its own way. But as a student newspaper, we do cover issues personal to us, the student body. We shine a light on the issues that large media outlets might not pick up on, the issues that we have to face every day on campus. That’s what truly matters.

So that is what it means to be the voice of the student body. It’s not that we speak for all students, but rather that we bring conversations forward and unite together to determine how we can change this university for the better. Obviously, no writer can speak for every individual; differences in values make this near impossible. But we can share in a common understanding that CWRU, and all other universities, should be places for students to thrive.

Beau Bilinovich (he/him) is a fourth-year student majoring in aerospace engineering. When not struggling to turn in his homework at the last minute, he...

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Campus journalism: A stepping stone for future professionals

An increasing number of university students are taking up campus journalism gigs despite not having a formal journalism background.

Between 2007 and 2011, Rajib Nandy, a dedicated student of Communication and Journalism at Chittagong University, emerged as a formidable force as he took on the role of a campus correspondent for two national dailies. Undeterred by the absence of a salary, he fearlessly covered a wide spectrum of campus events, exploring politics, crime, education, health, culture, research and more.

Rajib left no stone unturned in his journalistic pursuits, crafting several exclusive stories. 

Notably, he revealed a shocking tale, exposing the construction of an opulent rest house for a then-president of the country, concealed under the guise of the university's convocation preparations, with a staggering cost of over Tk1 crore.

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But there's more to his own story. As a campus journalist, Rajib had to overcome many challenges. In 2009, when he was a third-year student, a defamation case was filed against him after he broke another exclusive story about some allegations made about a professor at the university. 

At that time, Rajib worked for Samakal and armed with solid evidence in the form of documents, he received unwavering support from his editors. After enduring a year and a half of legal battles, he emerged victorious in the defamation case.

In 2010, he also covered the exclusive story of the world's last amphibious species, Fejervarya asmati. Rajib's exceptional work earned him the recognition of his editor, who doubled his salary as a testament to his remarkable talent.

Amid all this, Rajib maintained his grades and found a way to be the top student for the four years of his bachelor's degree. 

Now he is an assistant professor in the same department. Besides teaching, he is also a researcher and contributes news and opinion pieces to several media outlets in Bangladesh and India.  

To Rajib, campus journalism is a stepping stone for future professionals. 

"The experience of student journalism can be a great benefit, whether they [students] keep working in journalism after graduation or switch to other fields like communication, public relations, administration, research or teaching," he says. 

"To become a campus journalist, it is important to have good news sense, an ever-curious mindset, and the ability to tell a story engagingly, irrespective of the medium," Rajib adds. 

Current scenario of campus journalism 

An increasing number of university students are taking up campus journalism despite not having a formal journalism background. This surge is driven by the high demand for campus journalists within the dynamic media industry.

Student politics have always been of great interest to Bangladeshi audiences, and anything affecting university students is inherently linked to the well-being of the entire nation.

"And now that there are so many new newspapers, TV channels and online portals, university students are getting more opportunities to become campus journalists than before," explains Sirajul Islam Rubel, former general secretary of Dhaka University Journalists Association.

Nishat Parvez, an assistant professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Jahangirnagar University, also believes that campus journalism has been thriving for quite some time now. 

"In recent years, campus journalists have been very active. At Jahangirnagar University, they are unearthing administrative corruption, ragging, environmental pollution, problems of the students and several other issues through their reports and pushing the authorities for change," she says. 

However, one major complaint is that campus journalists are brutally underpaid. Most begin their careers without any salary, especially when working for online portals or relatively unknown media houses. Even when appointed by leading media houses and brought under the payscale, monthly salary rarely surpasses Tk15,000.

Perks of becoming a campus journalist

The biggest advantage of being involved in campus journalism lies in the fact that it prepares one to become a full-fledged journalist later on in life.

Suzon Ali, former president of the Rajshahi University Journalist Association, majored in English Language and Literature. But thanks to his experience as a campus journalist, he has become the Rajshahi district staff correspondent for New Age. "Had I waited for my student life to be over and then joined any media house to pursue my dream, it would have made my journey much harder," says Suzon. 

According to Shabnam Azim, associate professor of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, the current curriculum covers everything a student needs to become a journalist.  

Still, she believes that the practical application of theoretical knowledge always helps. So, teachers always encourage students if they pursue a part-time career in campus journalism. 

"It provides the students with valuable experience," Shabnam says.

Manjur Hossain Mahi, a third-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, shares the same perspective. While acknowledging that campus journalism does not bring him significant financial rewards, he views the time invested in this profession as a valuable investment.

As a campus journalist, he is expanding his network by getting acquainted with new people, visiting new places and sharpening his communication skills. 

Additionally, he can also keep a tab on current affairs. 

The preliminary test of the 45th BCS took place in May, and Mahi claims he was familiar with most of the general knowledge and current affairs questions. "Because I covered some of those stories myself!" he says. 

Campus journalism also provides students with a respectable identity and brings them closer to their teachers. 

"Most people on the campus keep us in high regard, and teachers also pay extra attention to us," says Shakil Hosen, a third-year student of Political Science at the same university, who has also taken up the role of a campus correspondent for Dhaka Times. 

Some argue campus journalism has lost its spark. One of them is Badruddoza Babu, a leading investigative journalist of the country who also teaches part-time at Dhaka and Jahangirnagar universities. 

In the early 2000s, during his student years, he made his mark in journalism while working for the prestigious weekly magazine Shaptahik 2000. His captivating coverage of Dhaka University included a groundbreaking exposé on concealed firearms found within the residential halls. 

But he thinks such news coverage in recent times has become few and far between.

"There was a time when a campus reporter had at least one front page lead in the national dailies every month. But lately, I do not see much in-depth reporting by them, as they often remain preoccupied with covering trivial events and political press conferences," he says. 

Campus journalism has other challenges too. 

Foremost, it is almost like a 24/7 job, and a campus journalist always has to be on their feet, if need be. And that can hamper one's study. 

"Sometimes after a long day's work, I sit down to grab a meal, but suddenly my phone rings and I hear something big is happening on campus. At that point, I must run immediately to cover the news, even if that results in my studies getting compromised," shares Mahi. 

Meeting deadlines also takes a huge toll on them. They are asked to submit a piece of news by 6:30 pm. But some events take place after the time frame. Then they face the challenge of submitting the news by 10 pm for the second edition. 

Being a journalist can also put students up against the administration and student wing of the ruling party. "I faced threats of getting jailed several times because I tried to bring up the truth, which didn't go well with the people of the administration and the ruling party," says Suzon. 

There have even been several reports of campus journalists getting physically assaulted while simply trying to do their job. Sometimes it also becomes challenging to gather information from the higher authorities. 

In many cases, reporters are asked to apply through the Right to Information Act. But that is a very complex and time-consuming process, and campus journalists cannot afford to wait that long for one story.

"So, it is better to establish reliable sources among the higher authorities so that we can gather necessary information quickly," says Mahi. 

Shabnam also admits that campus journalists have to weather pressures from different sectors. "There are many risks for them. But my advice for them would be: never surrender to power or lose objectivity, rather try to handle every situation technically." 

Meanwhile, some students also lose interest in the job after a certain period and decide to switch to another profession. 

"But I think it's good that they are making up their mind while they're still young. Campus journalists are exposed to the harsh realities of life sooner, so they have plenty of time left to pursue something else," says Rubel. 

What opportunities are there for female students?

Female students are still reluctant to become journalists, notes Nishat Parvez. "Recent studies suggest the number is even lower in the management level than the entry level," she adds. 

Jakia Jahan, a lecturer of Mass Communication and Journalism, attributes religious fundamentalism as well as women's communication apprehension and lack of interest in the profession to the low rate.

However, a handful of female students are showing enthusiasm to become campus journalists nowadays.  

Autoshi Sen, a second-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, is the first female student from her department to become a campus journalist. 

"It was far from easy. Many doubted my abilities and said I wouldn't be fit for the job. I got a job from Naya Shatabdi, a relatively new newspaper. Though I have already proved my worth, bigger media houses are reluctant to offer me a job," says Autoshi. 

Authoshi had to face harassment several times for being a female reporter. Many people are still not ready to accept that female journalists can work and compete neck and neck with their male counterparts. 

However, thanks to her role as a campus journalist, Autoshi has recently got the opportunity to become a presenter at Bangladesh Television. She expects that following in her footsteps, more female students will become campus journalists.

Marjan Akter, a Master's student of Communication and Journalism at Chittagong University, shares a similar experience as she serves as a campus correspondent for Samakal.

From her family to her surroundings, everyone was sceptical. They said it's not a women's job. The campus is one hour away from her home in Chattogram, and they asked how she could attend events that are taking place in the evening.

Marjan also had to face harassment from the student wing of the ruling party once when she went to cover one of their events. 

"But after doing this job for one and a half years, I have become more confident and mentally stronger than ever," says Marjan.  

Career / Campus Journalism

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Journalism Ethics 101: A Survival Guide for Student Journalists Navigating a Shifting World

• Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
• Focus Areas
• Journalism and Media Ethics
• Journalism and Media Ethics Resources
• Ethical Considerations for Student Reporters, Editors, and News Consumers

10 Ethical Guidelines for Student Journalists

Delaney Nothaft was a 2019-2020 Hackworth Fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

A free press is essential to informing the public, speaking truth to power, and connecting people with their communities — including college campuses. Student journalism has grown in importance for college communities that are now often dispersed across the country and globe due to social distancing. At the same time, many student journalists and student editors struggle with uncertainties about how to report ethically, which often stem from their professional inexperience, competing interests, and a wish to fit in with their peers. The 10 ethical guidelines for student journalists are designed to help journalists of the future not only make it through their immediate deadline, but also safeguard democracy and foster social cohesion with their reporting.

First, let’s address a few preliminary questions you might have:

Why do college newspapers matter?

College newspapers are training grounds for journalists of the future — a future in which truth itself is under assault and democracy is more imperiled than ever. In order to preserve the press and freedom that empowers it to speak truth to power, we need to equip student journalists to confront the challenges faced by professional journalism. 

Are college newspapers any different from regular newspapers?

Yes. Student journalists are immersed in the communities they report on, and while that gives them access and insight, it also requires systems and procedures to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Furthermore, student journalists are often beholden to authority figures who control their budgets and may seek to influence coverage and limit criticism. Such power imbalances and conflicts of interest, combined with student journalists’ relative inexperience, are a recipe for a journalism environment riddled with ethical potholes. 

Why do student journalists need a particular set of ethical guidelines?

A college campus is a unique community with its own structure, policies, power dynamics and stakeholders. The role of the student press requires it to hold accountable the same powers that provide its funding — a scary position for any journalist to be in, never mind a college kid trying to fit in and make the grade. It’s a difficult environment in which to take a principled stand, or to even know what the principled stand is, and ethical resources can only help!

As a Hackworth fellow in 2019-2020, I set out to research ethical issues in college newspapers. During fall quarter, I conducted ethnographic observation of SCU’s campus paper, The Santa Clara (TSC), as well as several interviews with the newsroom staff, and a thematic analysis of TSC content, along with outside research on student newspapers from around the country. Under the direction and guidance of Dr. Anita Varma (assistant director of Journalism & Media Ethics at the Markkula Center), I developed 10 ethical guidelines for student journalism to prioritize. 

1. Treat people with dignity and respect

Journalists, and reporters in particular, are often the “butt” of late night talk show jokes, where they are portrayed as “pushy” or “sensationalizers.” These jokes are funny because there is a layer of truth to them – there are some journalists who are willing to go to extreme lengths to get the story. Don’t forget, though, that you can get the story while treating everyone with dignity and respect. A “good story” doesn’t justify causing harm to those in your path. This includes everyone you interact with: all the stakeholders in the story, your colleagues, and the community as a whole.

It’s important to note that you can still hold people accountable while still treating them with respect. In fact, holding people accountable is respecting them – you are respecting their autonomy as individuals making decisions. A tough question is not inherently disrespectful. Treating people with dignity and respect means being accurate in your portrayals, giving people an opportunity to respond, and being sensitive to sources’ vulnerabilities and needs.

For example, before labeling anyone, the newsroom should check to see if that label would cause significant psychological harm to a source or the source’s community. What is your news organization’s style when referring to students’ immigration status? If you’re unsure, consult with advisors and members of that stakeholder group. They are the best experts.

If you’re a student editor, be sure you respect student reporters’ dignity as well. It is good practice to consult the reporter when making edits that have to do with clarity of the content. Reporters are held accountable by the public, which is a good thing – but editors should also make sure that the content they are going to be held accountable for is what the reporter intended.

2. Identify and acknowledge all stakeholders

Striving for truth can be complicated. The implications of a particular event or issue are often difficult to comprehend or anticipate if you’re covering a story for the first time. A good starting point is to identify as many stakeholders as possible. Remember, your scope can always be trimmed later, but by starting broad you are less likely to miss things. However, it is important to note that you should not amplify a voice that will inflict psychological or physical harm on the community. Giving a voice to a White supremacist or a conspiracy theorist with unfounded arguments doesn’t do anything to serve the community or truth-telling.

Furthermore, not all voices should be given equal weight. There is often an assumption that journalists should be neutral. However, the truth is rarely neutral. For example, some may argue that when reporting on a racist event, it would “violate neutrality” to use the word “racist” — even when there is an empirically demonstrable pattern of racist behavior at hand. Similarly, it is unethical to prioritize neutrality in the face of basic human rights violations.

It is the role of journalists to inform the public about what is happening, not to couch reality in jargon or sugar-coat with euphemisms to avoid controversy which can be misleading or even deceptive. When, for example, acts of racism are empirically substantiated, don’t use softened phrases like “racially charged.”

3. Provide context

I offer an analogy for the importance of context:

A man eats an apple.

A man eats the first fully synthetic apple.

A soldier eats the first fully synthetic apple designed to increase strength and repair injuries, making him invincible.

Facts mean nothing without context. This is a goofy example, but the point is that journalists must make context decisions that can drastically change the meaning of the story. Take this more serious example:

A man was shot.

A man was shot by police officers.

A Black man was shot by police officers in Phoenix, a city that was still reeling after the death of another Black man shot by officers two weeks ago. Both victims were unarmed.

Ask questions like these until the context becomes clearer:

• What is happening, and why is it happening?
• Who are the people involved?
• What is their history?
• What is the history of events like this? Is it significant?
• Is there statistically significant data?
• Which stakeholders should I talk to for a better grasp on this?
• Ask your sources, “How do you know that?”

4. Emphasize equity

One of the fundamental missions of a newspaper is to give voice to the voiceless. Knowledge is power, and by sharing stories you may be able to change hearts and minds. It’s important to choose these stories wisely. Whose voice should be elevated, and why? Here are some important questions to consider:

• Are people suffering?
• If so, why are they suffering?
• Is someone inflicting the suffering?
• Is their suffering visible?
• Are fundamental human rights being violated?
• Are the people who are suffering marginalized, meaning they are prevented from full civic participation?
• Could this story advance an “us versus them” narrative that will further stoke division? How might you avoid this trope?

5. Practice courage and prudence

Journalists have a duty to report the truth so that the powerful are held accountable and the public can make informed decisions. Journalists should perform this duty with both courage and prudence. Courage is doing the right thing even if you’re afraid. Courage for a journalist can mean putting yourself in jeopardy of physical harm, but it also includes moral, intellectual, emotional, social and psychological bravery. It takes courage to face hostility or ridicule from readers and authorities. Prudence is being reasonable and not reckless. To practice prudence as a journalist means you are careful and use sound judgment.

An example of a virtuous journalist is Marty Baron, the current editor of The Washington Post and the former editor of The Boston Globe. He led the newspaper and the “Spotlight” team that investigated the Catholic church for covering up and protecting priests who were abusing children. He showed courage when he took on the Catholic church. And he was prudent – he required irrefutable data and source testimony because he didn’t want to leave the story open to accusations of rushing to judgment. 

6. Be rigorous editors 

Rigor makes people better at everything they do. The editing process is crucial for ensuring rigor in student newspapers since student reporters are still cultivating their skills. Here are a few suggestions for editing policies:

• In a student setting, editors are often also reporters, and they are still learning themselves, so the more eyes on a story the better. Consider editing horizontally, in addition to vertically.
• Make reporters aware of edits, even if they are not present on production night.
• Consider requiring at least two drafts of a story.
• Remember, the more eyes you have on a story, the higher the odds become that mistakes will be caught and corrected prior to publication.

7. Engage the community

The newspaper exists to make the community better, so input from the community is essential. It is vital to ask what is important to your audience to gain insight as to what is going on in the community and why it matters. Being open and accessible will build trust, which will lead to better relationships, which will lead to better leads and better stories. Remember to prioritize dignity and respect — don’t make enemies with the community. If you’re not trusted, your work means nothing. Be collaborative. Aspire to make a positive difference in the lives of all the people who comprise your college community.

8. Strive for accuracy

Journalistic credibility is derived from accuracy. Journalism has been described as presenting “the facts” and also “the truth about the facts.” A commitment to accuracy is essential and requires rigorous examination and enforcement. Here are some guideposts as a starting point:

• Seek and prioritize first-hand sources.
• Double-check facts and keep a record of how you have verified those facts.
• Confirm claims with at least two sources.
• Ensure facts are presented in context and are true to their intended meaning.
• Don’t allow deadline pressures to compromise standards.
• Don’t give credence to people you know aren’t being honest by including their quotes. University officials may make false claims – that doesn’t mean you have to amplify them uncritically.
• Challenge your assumptions and have an open mind.
• If you feel emotionally invested or emotionally divested in a story, acknowledge those feelings and seek feedback to ensure you’re including relevant perspectives.
• Be transparent and show your work.
• Don’t be fooled by increasingly sophisticated digital manipulation. Remain skeptical (even/especially if an image has gone viral on social media) and seek verifiable evidence.
• Headlines, cutlines and display text must share accuracy standards.
• Admit your mistakes and correct them. 

9. Actively diversify the newsroom 

In a close-knit college community, it can be tempting to suggest your friends join the school newspaper with you. Friends can bring out the best in us, but they can also cloud our judgement (you may look at them through “love eyes.”) Friends may be less afraid to call you out — or they might not call you out because they want to preserve the friendship. This is problematic for accountability, and can worsen blind spots in newsrooms. Of course, it’s not a bad thing to be friends with your coworkers. Just be cognizant to encourage people of all different backgrounds and opinions to join the newspaper, even if your social circle is mostly homogenous. Diversity strengthens journalism. 

10. Demand & model a culture of organizational integrity  

Organizational integrity means creating a climate that aligns values, attitudes, language, and behaviors with ethical principles. In other words: talk the talk and walk the walk of ethical journalism. Being insensitive or indifferent to potentially harmful behaviors is indicative of a culture that lacks integrity. To bring this full circle – each member of the newspaper has a responsibility to cultivate a culture that values dignity and respect for community members and for each other.

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Democracy and Disinformation: The role of campuses, campus journalism, citizen journalism and fact-checking in the struggle for democracy

“A large part of the struggle to keep democracy alive in this country—in any country—will be the struggle to keep our campuses free.” Such were the words spoken by University of the Philippines Visayas (UP Visayas) Chancellor Clement Camposano at the 3rd National Conference on Democracy and Disinformation, hosted this year virtually by UP Visayas.

For Camposano, colleges and universities, particularly UP, have become the subject of disinformation campaigns on social media. He characterized the attacks on the platforms as a vilification campaign, which not only poses a challenge to members of the university community, but also to the country’s democracy at large. “The University is under siege because there is a campaign of vilification against it, a campaign intent on portraying our campuses not only as breeding grounds of radicalism. . . but also as safe havens for enemies of the state,” he added.

Speaking to an online audience largely composed of the academe, particularly campus journalists, the chancellor underscored the role of campus journalists in challenging disinformation, particularly among members of the university community. “To keep democracy from breathing its last, we need to keep our campuses alive. Alive with ideas, with disputations, with political dreams of all sorts. Alive with politics, broadly construed,” he said.

Disinformation and government accountability

Speaking of campus journalists, Senator Risa Hontiveros underscored their role in the fight against the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos. She particularly highlighted the Philippine Collegian and its editor Abraham Sarmiento, Jr., quoting his words, “kung hindi tayo kikilos? Kung hindi tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?” which were a challenge to fellow students to stand for freedom of speech and democracy.

Hontiveros also recalled how the Marcos dictatorship immediately closed down media organizations after proclaiming Martial Law, resulting to the growth of clandestine media organizations which would later emerge during the 1986 People Power Revolution. “The role of the media in protecting our democracy cannot be understated,” she said, mentioning its role as providing check and balance of government, acting as the virtual 4th branch of government.

The former broadcast journalist also paid tribute to local media organizations all over the country, including regional newspapers in the Visayas and Mindanao, whose relentless reports on the pivotal moments during Martial Law aided in the fight against state-sponsored disinformation and the restoration of democracy. “The Filipino media’s courage and ingenuity paved the way for more and more Filipinos to know the truth. For more Filipinos to wake up from a deep, deep slumber,” she added.

The senator also emphasized how the media plays an important role in providing the public with information which serves as the baseline of facts, from which people of different persuasions can have a rational discussion. “Without media, and if all we’re fed is propaganda or dis- and misinformation, this can polarize societies and skew public debates,” she said. She said that this lack of a common set of evidence-based facts will not only mean distortions of reality, but it will also make government accountability impossible.

Speaking likewise on the accountability of government, Rappler Chief Executive Officer Maria Ressa said it was important for people to have accurate information from the media, as it will enable them to demand accountability and transparency from their government. “If we don’t have facts, we can’t have a shared reality and we cannot hold government to account, protect our rights, and protect our democracy,” she said.

Ressa, who has been the subject of several law suits regarding the ownership of Rappler and a supposed libelous news article against a businessman, views the charges against her as harassment of the media by the Duterte administration. She has been the subject of disinformation efforts by trolls on social media with the use of memes, altered images and misquotes. She has also been threatened by dubious social media users via messages and comments. “We have been demolished. We have been attacked, like Leila de Lima. Like Leni Robredo. We have been ridiculed. We have been dehumanized,” she said.

Aside from threats against journalists, Ressa also highlighted how social media platforms in recent years have been used to disseminate false information on the Marcos dictatorship. Coupled with constant attacks on journalists and media organizations, these are intended not to disprove what one already knows and has learned from studies, but to sow doubt. “The goal is not to make you believe something, although they seed a metanarrative for it. But the goal is to make you doubt everything. Because if you don’t trust anyone, then you’re not gonna do anything,” she added.

Citizen journalism and newsrooms

Also speaking on the role of citizens in exacting accountability in governance, the former head of ABS-CBN Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo , Inday Espina-Varona, said social media have over the years, become platforms where aside from personal rants, users can share issues of public concern. She is however careful to distinguish a citizen journalist from an ordinary social media user. “When you say you are a citizen journalist, you may not be a professional practitioner of journalism, but you report with the basics of journalism,” she said. That would include sharing accurate information and unadulterated multimedia materials like videos, audio materials or photos, to news organizations.

Emphasizing the importance of facts, the veteran journalist said one does not need to be a journalist to have the obligation to respect the truth. She even highlighted how one well known pro-administration blogger excused herself from being factual in her online postings by saying she is not a journalist. “You don’t need to be a journalist to be able to appreciate the need to be loyal to facts,” she said.

Aside from respecting facts, Varona said social media users, particularly citizen journalists, must also adopt journalism ethics in posting information online. This, along with loyalty to facts and training from news organizations, would be important skills in documenting and reporting social and political events. And speaking from her experience, she shared how enthusiastic ordinary citizens were in learning about the basics of journalism, enabling them to share stories of their community. “The citizen journalist does not make stories based on assignments, like us professional journalists; rather they report on the important things that matter to them, their communities, their lives. So, it is even more important for them to get the skills right.” she added.

Speaking of the role of citizen journalists in newsrooms, ABS-CBN Desk Editor and Producer Israel Malasa recounted how their newsroom broke the story of the Maguindanao Massacre in 2009, after they received information from a Bayan Patroller.

Malasa related how in November 2009, they received a photo from a Bayan Patroller of what were the bodies of the victims of the massacre. Working as the desk editor for the broadcast company’s Regional Network Group, based in Quezon City, he and his colleagues had to verify the information. “There was this photo that was sent to news by a Bayan Patroller. So, what we did was vet it. We called the authorities. The editors and reporters called up their various sources. And then it was confirmed that it was the massacre site,” he said. Without that courageous citizen journalist, he added, news of the horrendous incident would not have been known.

Tracing the roots of citizen journalism, Malasa illustrated how it began long before social media, when viewers of news programs such as TV Patrol, would send them information on community concerns such as ill-maintained roads and ditches, defective electricity posts and others. These stories were featured in a segment called Citizen Patrol. What made a difference between then and now was that the newsroom still needed to send a crew for these stories. “Back then what we would do is send a crew to the community. The crew would then engage the resident, the Citizen Patroller or citizen journalist, as how we call them now, get the facts and go to the authorities, interview, and then a solution about a particular problem is reached,” he said.

For Malasa, citizen journalists have contributed much to newsrooms, particularly with stories in different communities all over the country, which could not have been covered if information had not been provided to news organizations. “Citizen journalism, or information from the public, is in a way valuable, because it shows that it is not only the reporter who has knowledge of what is happening in society. If people on the ground are helping, if they are providing the facts, as long as it is substantiated, it is vetted, checked, it is an enormous contribution to a news organization,” said the UP Visayas alumnus.

Much has changed since then, as citizen journalists now can record their own materials and send their own information to the networks. For National Union of Journalists in the Philippines Chair Nonoy Espina, anyone can be a journalist as long as the person has the motivation, proper training and ethics. “[Ordinary] people can be very, very good journalists, if they have the motivation, and if they are given the skills to do it,” he said.

For Espina, training remains an important aspect of journalism which both citizen and professional journalists must have, as these are essentials in news gathering and crafting a story. “Putting a story together is not that easy. We might make it seem easy, but it actually isn’t. From gathering the facts to actually putting the story together,” he said.

And while citizen journalists may have undergone training, Espina, like Malasa, still suggests newsrooms must vet stories coming from the communities, as those in news organizations are more steeped in the professional standards of journalism and the legal regulations which affect the practice should there be lapses. Newsrooms, he also said, are liable, should libel cases arise from erroneous reporting. Referring to journalists and editors he said “If a story gets past you, especially an erroneous story, then you didn’t do your job. That is your fault. Then, you have to take responsibility for that.”

Espina however is quick to add that the collaboration between citizen journalists and professional journalists has been beneficial, particularly in situations which made it necessary for both to work together. “Actually, the best combination is the citizen journalist and the journalist. They should always work together. If one is separated from the other, then there is a disconnect [in the story they are working on],” he said.

Fact-checking vs disinformation

For investigative journalist and UP Associate Professor Yvonne Chua, one of the avenues where the public and journalism professionals best intersect in the age of disinformation is in fact-checking. As an educator, she has been teaching courses in fact-checking in the UP College of Mass Communication. “Fact-checking is increasingly becoming an important component of media literacy initiatives. In journalism education is an essential component,” she said.

Emphasizing journalism as a discipline of verification, Chua said the concept and practice of fact-checking in journalism has quickly evolved in recent years. In the past, the task of the practice of fact-checking in a news organization was undertaken by editors, who ensured the factual accuracy of the stories submitted by reporters before these were published. “The fact-checking we now refer to, has expanded to include verifying, and often debunking textual and visual claims, especially falsehoods, made by individuals, groups or institutions, ranging from our public officials, public figures, to netizens that produce user-generated content,” she said.

Sharing some notes from a recent study she was part of, Chua illustrated how the majority or 57% of the 19,621 respondents they had from all over the country, said disinformation is a serious problem. About 28% see it as somewhat of a concern. While 15% see no problem at all with disinformation. Among the age groups, she said those between ages 18 to 24 were more likely to view the proliferation of false information as serious.

The same age group also viewed disinformation as having possible effects on the elections. Despite these reactions, the respondents revealed they don’t verify news as much as they should. “Despite being aware that disinformation is a problem and could affect elections, the proportion of young Filipinos who have never verified the news or information that reaches them, is significantly higher than the 7% national average,” she added.

Also with regard to the results of the survey she and her colleagues conducted, the respondents defined ‘fake news’ as news which are bad for the president or the country, with a significant number of respondents from the 14 to 17 age group, agreeing. “It’s a sentiment that we know is often spouted by populist authoritarian leaders including our own,” she said.

Aside from concerns on disinformation, Chua said the study also revealed the lack of know-how among the respondents in how to verify news and information they came across. “This self-confessed gap in knowledge and skills certainly needs to be addressed,” said the journalism professor.

Viewing fact-checking as an invaluable tool for aspiring journalists, Chua views the course as essential in journalism education, particularly in the wake of the massive proliferation of disinformation and misinformation. The skills can either be included in teaching journalism ethics or as a stand-alone course. In recent years, she and her students have been involved in several projects where they verified the claims of political candidates and leaders. Among these are Tsek.ph  and Factrakers .

In the interest of keeping fact-checkers safe from possible threats and intimidation from those who may dislike their findings, Chua said it is important that those involved in these projects refrain from posting unvetted fact checks on their personal social media accounts. They must also process negative feedback on their stories. And they must also consider whether their stories should have bylines or not.

Campus publications and democracy

Discussing threats and intimidation of campuses, UP Associate Professor Diosa Labiste talked about how in recent years, disinformation has taken the form of hate speech and red tagging, particularly against the UP community. Citing studies she did with Chua, she illustrated the similarities between hate speech and red tagging and how these contribute to the proliferation of disinformation online.

For the former community journalist, red-tagging, much like disinformation, is made up of false or fabricated accusations disseminated by trolls online. It has from minimal to almost no basis in fact. It also vilifies activists, critics of the administration and journalists. And similar to hate speech, it uses threats, harassment, some even resulting to arrests and deaths. Labiste believes the vilification of the university community while serious, can be met with stories coming from campus journalists who continue to provide accurate stories of issues and concerns confronting its members.

Underscoring the need for news reports that are fact-checked and verified, Labiste said campus journalists can fill gaps left by mainstream media in the exigencies of day-to-day news reporting. These means, young journalists-in-training can provide content which cannot be found in the commercial media. “Some news are not so sexy for commercial media or mainstream media to cover. But campus press has been covering these issues,” she said.

Labiste said that aside from providing unique content on news events, campus press can pursue stories which provide differing perspectives, diverse issues and more vigorous discussions and debate. It also provides students with the capacity for citizen-witnessing, which blurs the line between news producer and news consumer, as well as that between a journalist and an advocate. “Campus journalism is a form of counter speech because it intervenes to help citizens and communities make sense of information amid lies and ‘fake news.’”

For John Nery, a journalist, columnist and educator, campus journalism remains a strong pillar in the struggle against disinformation, not only in colleges and universities, but also in society at large. “Yes, we should use our campus publications to discuss school concerns; but at the same time, we have to realize that we actually occupy a position of privilege, and that our campuses are surrounded by what we call communities at risk,” he said.

School publications, according to Nery, act not only as hubs for public discourse of those in the academic community, but they can also function as public spaces for discussions of social issues which confront a community. Using UP Visayas and other higher education institutions in Iloilo as examples, he said their publications can serve as venues for conversations. “Why shouldn’t the school publications of UP Visayas, of the University of Iloilo, of PHINMA, and other Iloilo-based schools, talk about what’s happening in Iloilo? And by doing so, turn their school publications into their own version of the public square,” he added.

Emphasizing the dynamism of the youth in campuses, Nery underscored their capacity for reinvention and innovation, particularly at a time when there is a need for stories and voices from various communities in the country. Highlighting the potentials of campus journalists and publications, he said they could “very easily turn our campus publications from campus loudspeakers into community megaphones. We can use our campus newspapers, our campus news websites, into a forum where we can talk about the concerns of the people who live around us, literally.”

Summing up the conflict between disinformation and democracy in the country, a veteran human rights lawyer, Chel Diokno, said that the country was already suffering from an epidemic even before the onset of the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19. “This is a different kind of epidemic. It did not affect our human bodies. But rather, the human body politic. And that really was what we experienced, the last few years. An epidemic of extra judicial killings. An epidemic of abuse of power. And an epidemic that uses fear and violence,” he said.

According to Diokno, the current health pandemic has only served to exacerbate the difficulties ordinary Filipinos face. But in the same breath, he also highlighted how social media platforms have also served to condemn some of the questionable actions of public officials in the implementation of regulations of the public health emergency. He quickly added how sadly enough, the situation has also illustrated how the law is implemented differently for different groups of people. “We saw how poor people who violated quarantine regulations were given the full brunt of the law. While those who were connected or associated with those in power, just got a pat, sometimes even a mere reprimand, or not even that,” he said.

Affirming his belief in the power of the people, the chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) said citizens must always: speak truth to power; remain vigilant even in difficult times; call out falsehoods particularly those disseminated online; and, ultimately hold those involved accountable for their actions. He was also quick to add that all these actions necessitate the involvement of individuals and communities from different backgrounds.

Expressing faith in the transformative power of the right to suffrage, Diokno said it is important for citizens to choose the right leaders for the country. And for that to happen, those in colleges and universities must call on everyone to properly exercise the right to vote. “At the end of the day, given the way our situation politically is run, we will have a golden opportunity, especially you, young people, to choose our future leaders, our next leaders, and to determine the future of our country, when the next elections come along.”

Aside from Diokno, Nery, UP Professors Labiste and Chua, the journalists Varona, Espina and Malasa, and Senator Hontiveros, former UP Student Regent and Youth Act Now Against Tyranny National Convenor Raoul Danniel Manuel also gave a talk on the role of the youth as defenders of press freedom. A UP alumna and ACCRALAW Associate Lawyer Kate Aubrey Hojilla also talked about press freedom and the Philippine Constitution.

Another UP alumna, Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, Director for Health Promotion of the Department of Health and Special Assistant to the Secretary for Universal Health Coverage, shared her experience in handling the department’s information campaign on the COVID 19 pandemic. Endy Bayuni, Jakarta Post Senior Editor and member of the Facebook Oversight Board, also talked about Campus Journalism and how the social media platform tackles disinformation.

Aside from the speakers, presentations on the proliferation of myths and misinformation on the Marcoses were also given. Miguel Reyes and Joel Ariate, Jr. of the UP Third World Studies Center talked about publications. While Dr. Earvin Cabalquinto of Deakin University, and Dr. Cheryll Ruth Soriano of De La Salle University Manila talked about revisionists videos online.

The 3rd National Conference on Democracy and Disinformation was hosted by UP Visayas on February 22, 24 and 26, 2021 as a project with the Consortium on Democracy and Disinformation. The consortium is a network of academics, journalists, bloggers and civil society groups. Among those which support the network are the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle Philippines and Holy Angel University. For more information on the consortium, visit https://fightdisinfo.ph/ .

The conference was also held in partnership with MOVE.PH, Daily Guardian, UPV Division of Humanities, UPV Information and Publications Office and DYUP 102.7 FM. For videos of the conference, please visit https://www.facebook.com/DandD2021 .

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What do Lorde, Shrek, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston have in common? They’re all subjects I’ve written about for the Arts section of The Harvard Crimson!

The Crimson is Harvard’s independent daily newspaper, and it’s entirely written and produced by students. While classes, activities, and campus jobs have come and go, The Arts Board of The Crimson has remained a constant in my college life.

My high school may not have had a newspaper, but by the time I graduated I was certain that I wanted to be a journalist.

I had been bit by the political bug (much to my apolitical parents’ chagrin) and spent hours on hours reading all the longform and political journalism I could find. I searched The Atlantic, Politico, CNN, The New York Times, and other outlets for interesting pieces — frequently exhausting each publication’s free article allowance before the first week of the month was up.

The summer before my senior year of high school I was fortunate enough to participate in the Princeton University Summer Journalism Program, a summer “bootcamp” of sorts that introduces low-income students to the field of journalism as well as guides them through the college admissions process. I left PUSJP with a game plan for my future:

Step 1: Get into college.

Step 2. Write for my college newspaper.

Easy enough, right? I’ll spare you the lengthy details on Step 1. After a flurry of SAT exams, college essay edits, and last-minute finishing of my Common Application I was accepted to Harvard in December of my senior year of high school. As soon as I got to campus I made a point to find out when The Crimson’s first Open House would be.

I remember being nervous as I walked up to the unassuming brick building on Plympton St. in Cambridge — a stone’s throw away from Harvard Yard — but the feeling went away as soon as I saw the smiling faces waiting to greet me at the door.

I was rushed through a quick tour of the building the ended in a large meeting room where each board (News, Editorial, Arts, Design, etc.) gave their “elevator pitches” for joining their section of The Crimson. While I had walked in the building with plans of becoming the next big Politico writer, I felt myself compelled by the friendly faces and welcoming attitude of the Arts Board representatives. I went to my first Arts meeting the next week and never looked back.

This is the photo for my satirical piece: "My Guilty Pleasure is the Crimson Arts Internal Service Error." Photo by: Kathryn S. Kuhar

Whether your idea of “art” is the Metropolitan Opera or Cardi B’s “I Do” the Arts Board will welcome you with open arms. It didn’t matter that I had never written for a newspaper before — there were weekly lessons led by training directors that taught me everything I needed to know to write features, reviews, and blog posts on topics I care about.

I found myself exploring parts of Boston, reading books, visiting museums, researching artists, and attending events that I otherwise wouldn’t have known existed had I not picked up stories about them.

The best part is that all of these events (film screenings, concerts, and more) are free! As reporters, we get press passes to events and advance copies of books/albums in order to review and write stories about them. For this reason I’ve been able to see more concerts and movies, read more books, and attend more events than I otherwise would be able to afford to — and The Crimson offers financial aid too! Students who receive financial aid can apply to be paid for their work at The Crimson in lieu of having to choose between writing for the newspaper or working an on campus job.

The Arts Board is more than just a section of the newspaper, it’s a little family. We host fun screenings of movies, board game nights, and Oscar/Grammy/Tony viewing parties. I became close friends with the editors I worked with on my pieces and with my fellow writers. If you asked me my first day on campus if I thought I would ever write a 3,000+ word investigative story, cover the 2018 Boston Calling Music Festival, or write a biweekly column of deeply personal essays on music I would’ve laughed. The Arts Board has given me these opportunities and so many more, and I’m so excited to see what moments and memories the next two years will bring.

Allison Class of '21 Alumni

Student Voices

Directing the 36th ghungroo: celebrating south asian culture at harvard.

Hana Rehman Class of '25

Celebrating Black Excellence: Harvard BMF

Denzel Class of '24

Harvard Housing Day

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Opinion writing for campus journalists

These are the slides I used for the online National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) organized by the Department of Education on August 11, 2021.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Journalism and Journalistic Writing: Introduction

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Journalism is the practice of gathering, recording, verifying, and reporting on information of public importance. Though these general duties have been historically consistent, the particulars of the journalistic process have evolved as the ways information is collected, disseminated, and consumed have changed. Things like the invention of the printing press in the 15 th century, the ratification of the First Amendment in 1791, the completion of the first transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858,   the first televised presidential debates in 1960, and more have broadened the ways that journalists write (as well as the ways that their readers read). Today, journalists may perform a number of different roles. They still write traditional text-based pieces, but they may also film documentaries, record podcasts, create photo essays, help run 24-hour TV broadcasts, and keep the news at our fingertips via social media and the internet. Collectively, these various journalistic media help members of the public learn what is happening in the world so they may make informed decisions.

The most important difference between journalism and other forms of non-fiction writing is the idea of objectivity. Journalists are expected to keep an objective mindset at all times as they interview sources, research events, and write and report their stories. Their stories should not aim to persuade their readers but instead to inform. That is not to say you will never find an opinion in a newspaper—rather, journalists must be incredibly mindful of keeping subjectivity to pieces like editorials, columns, and other opinion-based content.

Similarly, journalists devote most of their efforts to working with primary sources, whereas a research paper or another non-fiction piece of writing might frequently consult an encyclopedia, a scholarly article, or another secondary or tertiary source. When a journalist is researching and writing their story, they will often interview a number of individuals—from politicians to the average citizen—to gain insight into what people have experienced, and the quotes journalists collect drive and shape their stories. 

The pages in this section aim to provide a brief overview of journalistic practices and standards, such as the ethics of collecting and reporting on information; writing conventions like the inverted pyramid and using Associated Press (AP) Style; and formatting and drafting journalistic content like press releases.

Journalism and Journalistic Writing

These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the Associated Press style. This resource, revised according to The Associated Press Stylebook 2012 , offers examples for the general format of AP style. For more information, please consult The Associated Press Stylebook 2012 , 47 th edition.

Campus Journalism in shaping better learning opportunity

Campus Journalism – The Flag

What is Campus Journalism?

It is defined as “ that enjoyable activity of the staff of the campus paper  in collecting, organizing and presenting news, writing editorials, columns, features, and literary articles, taking pictures, cartooning, copy reading, proofreading, dummying & writing headlines”.

A campus journalist is a person who works in an institution that goes through the process of producing intellectual content in the school. If it’s not produced well, it could disparage either the school or its learning environment in the purpose of a school is to produce knowledge for others, for society. Campus journalism has a role because it assumes a role of critical awareness, critical consciousness.

Aside from the fact that this gives Filipino student journalists a glimpse into the real world, it also helps to create a safe environment where they can tell their stories without fear of judgment or backlash. But what makes Philippine campus journalists capable of rebutting threats and criticism? A study in Manila examines that question by examining the newsroom culture, democratic consciousness, ethical practice, and citizenship among student journalists.

For most of the teachers in Alapan 1 Elementary School, a student journalist is much more than someone who only puts out the news. It has the role of shaping students through critical awareness, critical consciousness, civic and ethical responsibility, and concern for the country.

Campus journalism helps them assess their bias towards what they write. A biased news article may not be reflective of the truth. It becomes an instrument of propaganda by both sides – government and non-government organizations (NGOs) . Misleading news could have been corrected if there was a responsible campus journalist around to illuminate it when it happened (De La Torre 2006). At Alapan 1 Elementary School, campus journalism is the place where the school offers the opportunity for better learning beyond regular classroom interactions.

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MANILA, Philippines – One can no longer belittle the role of the campus press in the bigger fight to preserve democracy in the Philippines.  

University of the Philippines journalism professor Danilo Arao said that, like mainstream media, campus publications also help shape public opinion by providing relevant information. Aside from keeping the student body up to date with relevant issues, the campus press plays a huge role in preserving freedom of speech and expression. This was most evident especially during Martial Law.

While there is no difference when it comes to standards they follow as “campus publications follow the same normative standards in journalism,” there are people who argue that campus publications “should only cover school events.”  

According to Arao, student-run publications should not be hindered from covering beyond the campus because there should be “no distinction between national and local/school issues because they are inter-related.”  

“The national and local/school situations are therefore not mutually exclusive and there is no ‘balance” to strike,” he explained. “In discussing local/school issues, campus publications should relate them to what is happening community-wide or nationwide.”

In the course of history, several campus publications stayed true to this role. They’ve gone beyond the 4 walls of the classroom and often tackled the same issues hounding the Philippines.  

Student publications have been around since the Philippines was placed under colonial rule – both during the Spanish and American periods. To understand the role of campus publications, one needs to be reminded of the oppressive systems Filipinos were subjected to.

The reality brought about by abusive leaderships led to students harnessing the power of the pen. Their move was similar to the actions taken by the likes of Marcelo del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Jose Rizal, and other members of the Propaganda movement.  

Meanwhile, before World War II, Arao explained that student publications also struggled to expose the ills of American occupation in the Philippines.  

It was also during this period in 1931 when the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) was established. Its founder was Ernesto Rodriguez Jr of the National University’s The National while Wenceslao Vinzons of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Philippine Collegian became the guild’s first president.    

Aside from NU and UP, CEGP’s co-founders also included University of Santo Tomas’ The Varsitarian (founded in 1928), and Ateneo de Manila University’s The GUIDON ( founded in 1929) .

Initially starting out as “apolitical”, Arao said that CEGP eventually took on social causes a year later in 1932 when it opposed the salary increase of lawmakers then.  

The guild eventually took on other issues such as the economic crises, corruption, and human rights violations. It also acknowledged the creation of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM) in 1964 in its transformation “from a traditional institution to a militant and democratic organization .”

Under Martial Law

Student publications and journalists also became victims of the oppressive government of then president Ferdinand Marcos. They were among those subjected to state censorship following the release of Letter of Instruction No. 1 which ordered the “takeover and control” of all newspapers, magazines, and radio and television facilities.

In fact, the first female and student activist to die in detention during Martial Law was a campus journalist. Liliosa Hilao, who led Hasik of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, was arrested, tortured, and eventually killed in 1973. (READ: Gone too soon: 7 youth leaders killed under Martial Law )

Among those she penned were critical essays such as the “The vietnamization of the Philippines” and “Democracy is dead in the Philippines under Martial Law.”  

Meanwhile, Abraham “Ditto” Sarmiento who, as editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian , led the early opposition among students against Martial Law. He was arrested in 1976 over an editorial he wrote which questioned the future of a Marcos dictatorship. In 1977, he died after his health deteriorated while he was incarcerated.    

CEGP, on the other hand, was declared “illegal” during the first years of Martial Law like many progressive groups. In the early 1970s, several campus publications were “revived” but subjected to extreme state surveillance.  

Yet this occasion paved the way for the campus press to become part of alternative media, according to Arao. In fact, several student journalists took part in the struggle against oppressive military rule. They were among those arrested over the pieces they wrote for their campus papers.  (READ:  From Marcos to Duterte: How media was attacked, threatened )

“Analyzing the history… [student publications] have functioned as ‘alternative media’ especially during the period of Martial Law,” he said. “We could say that the Martial Law period prompted student publications such as the Philippine Collegian and The Dawn [of the University of the East] to rise to the occasion.”

After the toppling of the dictatorship in 1987, campus publications remained steadfast in their coverage of various issues such as labor movements, the presence of US bases in the country, and poverty, among others.  

As news editor of the Philippine Collegian during the late 1980s up to the early 1990s, Arao noticed that there was a demand for the publication “even outside the campus.”

“While students remained the primary audience, we would sometime distribute a few copies to striking workers so that they may be updated on feature articles that discuss labor issues,” he said. “There were also times when the editorials published in the Collegian would be reproduced as ‘wall news’ in other schools.”  

The challenge now  

The number of campus publications in the Philippines now has exceeded 1,000. In fact, CEGP alone counts 750 member-publications. The guild is considered the “ oldest and broadest intercollegiate alliance of student publications in the Asia-Pacific.”

Arao said that many student publications since then have continued the tradition and the role of analyzing pressing social issues.  

For example, members of CEGP , various school publications, and student journalism groups recently condemned recent actions of the government against the press, adding that press freedom is a pillar of democracy. They had previously also condemned human rights violations and other threats to democracy.  

There are, however, still existing student publications that still fall short in tackling issues outside the campus. There are various reasons for this, including the “pressure” from school administrations thus undermining editorial independence.

It doesn’t help that the Campus Journalism Act (CJA) – though a law crafted to protect campus journalists – is flawed because it compromises press freedom via funding and material provisions on editorial independence. (READ: Does the Campus Journalism Act protect press freedom? )

The challenge now, according to Arao, is for student journalists to be properly trained not only on skills but also on the concept of journalism and its role in society and nation-building.    

“They should know not just the ethical and professional standards but also the history of campus journalism in the Philippines,” he said.

“Only then can they realize the important role that they play not just in the school but also in society.” – Rappler.com

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University of Notre Dame

Fresh Writing

A publication of the University Writing Program

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Campus Newspapers: Withstanding the Journalism Digital Crisis

By Maggie Eastland

Published: July 31, 2021

When I arrived on the Notre Dame campus this August, I noticed something that I had not seen a single time all summer—a printed newspaper. The Observer student newspaper was littered throughout the campus. In an era when journalism is shifting production to online media and websites, the prevalence of the printed newspaper on Notre Dame’s campus seemed like a step back in time. A bit of a technophobe myself, I relished reading the printed newspaper; however, I couldn't help but wonder why this campus newspaper had not been swallowed by online media like its mainstream paper counterparts. Is there some advantage campus papers have over mainstream papers that allows them to thrive, or are these printed copies simply prolonging their inevitable extinction? The answer to this question is important for college students involved in the campus newspaper, future journalists, and even current journalists who can learn from the unique situation of the campus newspaper. Despite the ever-changing journalism industry, the campus newspaper, both online and in-print, finds more success than the traditional newspaper because it caters to a specific audience, reaps the benefits of an advertising advantage, serves an educational purpose that encourages donations, and maintains readership by offering papers for free and highlighting local, personal news stories. For these reasons, campus newspapers will continue to thrive, though with some integration of new technology mediums.

In the past few decades, mainstream news has taken a huge hit to profit. Pew Research Center shows that advertising and circulation revenues have dropped steeply since 2006 with very little revenue coming from printed papers (Barthel) and employment in U.S. newsrooms has dropped by half between 2008 and 2019 (Grieco). Despite these industry trends, campus newspapers don’t seem to be laying off staff or reducing circulation at the same drastic rate. In fact, according to Rutgers journalism professor Steve Miller, Alloy Media+Marketing New York “found that 82% of students read their campus newspaper, a rate that more than doubles most major metro dailies” (Miller 10). Despite a need for additional, more recent studies, Miller’s work on campus newspapers sharply contrasts the trends shown by Pew Research Center’s data for mainstream papers, leading to the conclusion that campus newspapers have some inherent advantage over mainstream newspapers.

Several factors set campus newspapers apart and allow them to continue successful circulation. First, college campuses are composed of a very particular audience. Every student on a college campus is pursuing higher education, meaning they have already displayed a thirst for knowledge and an interest in the world. Naturally, this population will be more inclined to read the news, and thus, advertisers are more likely to pay for ads in the campus paper. Data from the Pew Research Center demonstrates how newspaper readership increases as individuals reach higher levels of education. The study compared the readership of high school graduates, those who completed some college, college graduates, those who completed some post graduate, and post graduates from 1999 to 2006. Although readership as a whole sloped downward, findings showed that a higher level of education correlated to higher levels of readership (“Daily Newspaper Readership by Education”). This conclusion suggests one possible reason that college newspapers have survived longer than mainstream papers -- campus newspapers have a concentrated audience of active, engaged individuals who have already chosen the path to higher education. Miller’s study corroborates this evidence for the college newspaper, finding that “more than half (55%) of students reported reading the newspaper in the last week, and close to 30% reported reading every issue” (Miller 10). Journalism scholars Jeremy Lipschultz and Michael Hilt confirm Miller’s findings in their work Predicting Newspaper Readership on the Campus Community . After conducting a phone survey of 402 respondents, some students, some teachers, and some employees, Lipschultz and Hilt concluded that a large majority, “92.0% of students, 97.9% of faculty, and 94.1% of staff reported reading the community daily newspaper” (Lipschultz & Hilt 1052). Based on these numbers, the researchers also noticed that individuals with more education were more likely to read the paper (Lipschultz & Hilt 1053), further proving data from the Pew Research Center. Although the report was compiled in 1999, the data still depicts the high level of readership on college campuses today, especially given the fact that electronic and other media were available to students and professors during that time. Taken together, the Pew Research Center data and the evidence of high readership from Lipschultz, Hilt, and Miller show that the specific audience available on a college campus contributes to the continued success and high readership levels of campus newspapers.

This engaged, filtered audience makes it easier for the paper to maintain strong readership; however, it also helps the campus paper make more revenue through advertising. Miller mentions how only 13% of college students reported avoiding advertisements and 80% of students actually report responding to ads (Miller 10). This research suggests that access to a targeted audience, such as a specific group of college students, strongly appeals to advertisers. Despite their limited income, college students are still large spenders, making them an attractive market to advertisers. Additionally, many companies seek to advertise to college-age communities because they are brand-loyal, geographically stable, and responsive to ads (“Marketing to College Students”). Knowing such a high percentage of readers will notice and respond to advertisements, companies are naturally more willing to pay for ads in campus newspapers. Based on published advertising rates for The Observer , national companies are willing to pay up to $1240 for a full-page printed ad and up to $12 per thousand page views for an online ad (“Rate Card 2019-2020” 3). In contrast, ad revenues for mainstream newspapers have dried up as companies turn to other avenues of Internet advertising, which provide a larger audience and more opportunities to target specific consumers (Kuttner). Campus newspapers, on the other hand, still have some appeal for advertisers over alternate Internet ads because they guarantee the ad will reach a specific population of college students. The combination of a targeted audience and high level of readership helps campus papers remain afloat while traditional papers, facing a much broader, less specified audience, rapidly lose ad revenue and subscription fee profits. Advertisers realize that college students still read the newspaper, and many want to access that specific audience; thus, campus newspapers benefit from these ad revenues and maintain strong circulation.

On top of the concentrated audience, high level of readership, and potential for advertising, campus newspapers have yet another advantage over traditional newspapers that is a direct result of their role in journalism education. While most academics agree that the modes of journalism are changing, many hold fast to the idea that what characterizes good journalism remains unmoved. In his discussion on adapting journalistic education to meet new technologies, journalism academic Martin Hirst contends that while social media skills help a journalist succeed, writing, editing, note-taking, and interviewing skills are still essential (Hirst 447). These critical skills are best formulated and practiced by learning how to write for an actual newspaper. As Roger Pace, Ph.D., of the Communication Studies Department at the University of San Diego is quoted in a University Wire Article, “the best of the online news sources are staffed by trained reporters who were schooled in journalism and ethics at daily papers” (“Fewer Newspapers on Campus”). This quote suggests that the use of print journalism on college campuses is a necessary step that allows students to apply traditional journalistic practices and principles in future digital jobs. For example, the strict deadlines, formatting, and finality of a printed newspaper teach journalism students valuable lessons and skills that can be applied in non-traditional journalism jobs. Maria Leontaras, Editor-In-Chief for The Observer highlights the fact that newspapers “serve as an excellent way for students to learn about journalism and hone their skills if they are looking to pursue a career in the field after graduation” (Leontaras). Leontaras, Pace, and Hirst all reach a similar consensus that the educational aspects of the campus newspaper are very important, suggesting another reason for the campus newspaper’s success. The learning opportunity presented by print newspapers as well as their ability to leave an important historical record (Leontaras) provide another reason for their continued success and point to another source of revenue generated by donors who want to support the education of future journalists.

While students learn valuable lessons from writing and editing a print newspaper, opportunities for students to practice digital media journalism should not be overlooked, especially since Generation Z, the generation of students in high school and college right now, rely heavily on social media for their news. As one article claims, “a stunning 82% of Gen Z and younger Millennials include among their primary sources Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Buzzfeed, Instagram, Snapchat and their desktop feed” (Myers). A recent journal article on the news habits of Generation Z confirms Myers’s conclusion by proposing that “Gen Z’s are interested in news and follow news, even though they principally access it through social media” (Click & Schwartz 7). Ignoring the high demand for online news from the college population would be a missed opportunity for the campus newspaper. At the University of Notre Dame, The Observer capitalizes on both print and digital circulation by releasing a printed newspaper three times per week, posting all printed stories on their website, and highlighting top stories on Instagram in conjunction with every print release (Leontaras). Additional evidence shows that campus newspapers such as The Observer once again beat traditional newspapers when it comes to success in the online news sphere.

Research on the use of digital journalism, specifically Twitter, on college campuses shows that campus newspapers are adapting more smoothly than traditional newspapers. Twitter investigators Kris Boyle and Carol Zuenger analyzed the Twitter pages of 25 award-winning campus newspapers, filtering results to determine the “frequency, content, and interactivity of the tweets” (Boyle & Zuenger 12). Unlike mainstream papers, the number of tweets from campus news organizations was strongly correlated with the number of followers, showing that Twitter journalism is more effective on college campuses than it is in mainstream media (Boyle & Zuegner 16). While mainstream newspapers release tweet after tweet, their following does not grow in response. Campus newspapers, on the other hand, face a very responsive audience, gaining more followers the more frequently they tweet. This once again suggests a fundamental difference between audiences, and shows that the active audience on the college campus engages with both printed campus newspapers and digital campus news. In addition, the researchers found that Tweet frequency was positively correlated to publication frequency, implying that newspapers build their Tweets around their print papers (Boyle & Zuegner 16). This style of online journalism mirrors The Observer ’s Instagram posting schedule and supports the claim that paper journalism skills supersede into non-print media, adding value to the campus newspaper. While campus newspapers might begin to use more digital tools, they still experience much greater success with these online platforms than mainstream newspapers due to their targeted audience. Many colleges manage a respectable paper circulation in addition to regular posts on their website, Instagram, and Twitter pages. This development and evidence from Boyle and Zuenger implies that the fundamental advantages of a campus newspaper—audience and educational value—impact both print and digital news formats. For most schools, including Notre Dame, that print newspaper still serves as the centering and grounding force from which digital media arise.

One more key difference between campus newspapers and mainstream newspapers is that campus newspapers are free, or at least not charged for by issue, and stocked around every corner on campus while traditional newspapers require a subscription fee. This means that campus newspapers have to make up even more revenue in advertising and donations in order to offset the free papers. In recent years, the prevalence of social media and online news has tended the narrative that news should be free, but this idea remains somewhat unrealistic. After all, printing papers and paying staff naturally costs a lot of money. Despite the inherent costs of producing a newspaper, evidence shows that college students consider subscription costs a barrier to entry in reading traditional newspapers. After all, why would college students pay for a New York Times subscription when they can simply catch up on all the current events via their Twitter feed? If traditional newspapers were free at the time of reading, like campus newspapers, students would be much more likely to read and engage with them. One survey conducted at the Rochester Institute of Technology mentions how “about 140 colleges in the United States and Canada are experimenting with providing papers to college students” through the College Readership Program in order to boost readership of national news on college campuses (Williams 25). An article published in The Chronicle of Higher Education explores this movement in greater detail through the examination of a specific case study of the College Readership Program at the University of San Diego. The journal article, titled “Free Newspapers Prompt Boom in Campus Readership,” describes how President Graham B. Spanier “arranged to stock the dormitories at all nine residential campuses with open distribution racks carrying the New York Times , USA Today , and the local newspaper” (Reinsberg). The costs are offset by an additional $13 added to room and board costs, and college students now read the mainstream news more often than ever. As the article quantifies, “nearly three-quarters of students read one of the three commercial daily newspapers regularly, at least in part because of their availability” (Reinsberg). This specific example shows that college students take an interest in news; however, the costs of print newspapers present a strong incentive not to read, especially when most news can be sourced for free via social media. This highlights yet another difference between campus and mainstream newspapers that accounts for the relative success of the campus newspaper. Campus papers are free and readily available while mainstream papers require a subscription fee. Even large news outlets recognize the opportunity presented by the captive audience on a college campus and want to capitalize on the unique situation. Ongoing debate surrounds the Collegiate Readership Program as some schools, such as Vanderbilt University, argue that it will destroy campus newspapers and the opportunities they provide for students (Reinsberg). That debate is beyond the scope of this paper; however, the disagreement only testifies to the valuable niche campus newspapers hold and their special advantages in the current news environment.

An article titled “Campus newspapers: hard times, hard choices,” published in the Gateway Journalism Review , highlights this special environment for newspapers, claiming that “the college press has long existed in a kind of alternate universe from the one its commercial counterparts inhabit,” largely due to a concentrated population of educated, involved students (Fiddler). Citing circulation reduction and online shifts at many colleges and universities, the article later argues that this idyllic market for campus news will not last (Fiddler). There is some credibility to the claim that campus newspapers will eventually face the same crisis currently paralyzing traditional newspapers; however, the relatively stable audience demographics, the education-driven approach, and the niche for local news point to the opposite conclusion. While colleges may shift the majority of production to online media, there is no strong evidence to believe that campus newspapers are doomed. Colleges seem to be actually growing more selective in recent years, micro-filtering the audience even further. Additionally, multiple sources contend that Gen-Z’s still have a strong interest in current events despite their changing preference for method of news delivery (Click & Schwartz and Myers). Both of these developments suggest that campus newspapers are not going anywhere. To further disprove the idea that campus newspapers will soon face extinction, the study conducted at the Rochester Institute of Technology finds that college students prefer reading local news in print as opposed to any other type of news (Williams 6). Editor of The Observer , Maria Leontaras emphasizes that the personal appeal of the campus newspaper adds to its popularity, writing in an email interview, “Students also grab physical copies when they are featured in the paper -- families love them” (Leontaras). Since campus newspapers specialize in reporting local campus happenings, the preference for local news in print, presents another reason why campus newspapers will continue to thrive. Finally, the ultimate educational goals of the campus newspaper ensure it will succeed thanks to benefactors and donors who provide the revenue needed to teach students the art of journalism.

Leontaras explains that The Observer receives funding through donations, a small fee added to student costs, and ad revenues both online and in-print (Leontaras). These sources of revenue identify the specific advantages of the campus newspapers for colleges around the nation. First, campus newspapers receive donations because of their educational purpose that mainstream newspapers do not benefit from. In addition, campus newspapers can subtly add a fee to students’ upfront costs so that campus papers are free and accessible at any point during the year. Finally, campus newspapers benefit from a specific, engaged audience that attracts advertisers and increases readership. These advantages and the revenue provided through a unique combination of sources allows The Observer and other student newspapers to remain relevant even as the storm of digital media and declining ad revenues threatens to destroy the outside, real-world newspapers. Understanding these reasons for success will allow current college students who are involved with campus newspapers to continue meeting the needs of their local audience and soliciting supporters for donations in order to preserve the campus newspaper for generations to come. Examining the special case of the campus newspaper and highlighting its causes of success also restores confidence in the campus newspaper’s future for current and future participants and may even provide valuable insight for how traditional newspapers can achieve similar success and stability. For example, mainstream newspapers may want to invest more resources into micro-targeted newspapers to increase readership and create a more attractive audience for advertisers. Traditional newspapers might even attempt to solicit more donations from philanthropists who understand the importance of responsible reporting. Either way, the specific success of the campus newspaper holds important implications for its direct participants and for the journalism industry at large.

Works Cited

Barthel, Michael. “Trends and Facts on Newspapers: State of the News Media.” Pew Research Center's Journalism Project , 4 Feb. 2020, www.journalism.org/fact-sheet/newspapers/.

Boyle, Kris, and Carol Zuegner. “Big Tweets on Campus: College Newspapers’ Use of Twitter.” Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication , vol. 5, no. 1, 2015, pp. 12–21.

Click, Kevin, and Neil Schwartz. “Trending Now: News Habits of Generation Z.” SSRN Electronic Journal , 2018, doi:10.2139/ssrn.3408021.

“Daily Newspaper Readership by Education.” Pew Research Center , 12 Mar. 2007, www.journalism.org/numbers/daily-newspaper-readership-by-education/.

"Fewer Newspapers on Campus." University Wire , Apr 06, 2017 . ProQuest , http://proxy.library.nd.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1885956910?accountid=12874.

Fidler, Eric. "Campus newspapers: hard times, hard choices." Gateway Journalism Review , vol. 42, no. 326, 2012, p. 12+. Gale Academic OneFile Select , https://link.gale.com/apps/

doc/A293666471/ EAIM?u=nd_ref&sid=EAIM&xid=eb9af3eb. Accessed 8 Oct. 2020.

Grieco, Elizabeth. “10 Charts about America's Newsrooms.” Pew Research Center , Pew Research Center, 30 May 2020, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/28/10

-charts-about-americas-newsrooms/.

Hirst, Martin, and Greg Treadwell. “Blogs Bother Me.” Journalism Practice , vol. 5, no. 4, 2011, pp. 446–461., doi:10.1080/17512786.2011.555367.

Kuttner, Robert, and Hildy Zenger. “Saving the Free Press From Private Equity.” The American Prospect , 27 Dec. 2017, prospect.org/health/saving-free-press-private-equity/.

Leontaras, Maria. Personal email interview. 13 October 2020.

Lipschultz, Jeremy H, and Michael L Hilt. Psychological Reports, 1999, pp. 1051–1053, Predicting Newspaper Readership on the Campus Community .

“Marketing to College Students.” Business.com , 2020, www.business.com/articles/marketing-to-college-students/.

Miller, Steve. “Study: College Newspapers Are the Ad Rage on Campus .” Brandweek , 2008, www-proquest-com.proxy.library.nd.edu/docview/218083335/5E6FD9A29C96485BPQ/

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Williams, Kristin A. “Students' Self-Reported Preferences for Print and Online Newspapers.” RIT Scholar Works , Rochester Institute of Technology , 2003, scholarworks.rit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3553&context=theses.

Complete a reverse-outline of this essay and analyze the essay’s structure . What is the purpose and function of each paragraph? How are the ideas sequenced? Which ideas get the most space in the essay, and why?

How does this student writer develop their ethos? Point to specific sentences that demonstrate the writer’s trustworthiness, character, and investment in the topic. Then, compare these moves to another research paper published in this edition of Fresh Writing; how are the approaches to cultivating ethos similar? How are they different?

Maggie Eastland

Maggie Eastland is a Michigan native living in Pasquerilla West Hall. She is majoring in Finance and English with a minor in Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy. Her interest in the journalism industry and The Observer student newspaper spurred her research for this essay. Since writing her essay on campus newspapers and community journalism, she joined The Observer and currently works as an Associate News Editor. "Campus Newspapers: Withstanding the Journalism Digital Crisis" examines and reevaluates the supposed death of news in the context of college campus; however, as an aspiring journalist, Maggie hopes her findings can have implications for the industry as a whole and allow news outlets to remain in the business of disseminating truth. Maggie thanks Dr. Erin McLaughlin, her Writing & Rhetoric professor, for encouraging her and offering advice throughout the research and writing process.

The War at Stanford

I didn’t know that college would be a factory of unreason.

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ne of the section leaders for my computer-science class, Hamza El Boudali, believes that President Joe Biden should be killed. “I’m not calling for a civilian to do it, but I think a military should,” the 23-year-old Stanford University student told a small group of protesters last month. “I’d be happy if Biden was dead.” He thinks that Stanford is complicit in what he calls the genocide of Palestinians, and that Biden is not only complicit but responsible for it. “I’m not calling for a vigilante to do it,” he later clarified, “but I’m saying he is guilty of mass murder and should be treated in the same way that a terrorist with darker skin would be (and we all know terrorists with dark skin are typically bombed and drone striked by American planes).” El Boudali has also said that he believes that Hamas’s October 7 attack was a justifiable act of resistance, and that he would actually prefer Hamas rule America in place of its current government (though he clarified later that he “doesn’t mean Hamas is perfect”). When you ask him what his cause is, he answers: “Peace.”

I switched to a different computer-science section.

Israel is 7,500 miles away from Stanford’s campus, where I am a sophomore. But the Hamas invasion and the Israeli counterinvasion have fractured my university, a place typically less focused on geopolitics than on venture-capital funding for the latest dorm-based tech start-up. Few students would call for Biden’s head—I think—but many of the same young people who say they want peace in Gaza don’t seem to realize that they are in fact advocating for violence. Extremism has swept through classrooms and dorms, and it is becoming normal for students to be harassed and intimidated for their faith, heritage, or appearance—they have been called perpetrators of genocide for wearing kippahs, and accused of supporting terrorism for wearing keffiyehs. The extremism and anti-Semitism at Ivy League universities on the East Coast have attracted so much media and congressional attention that two Ivy presidents have lost their jobs. But few people seem to have noticed the culture war that has taken over our California campus.

For four months, two rival groups of protesters, separated by a narrow bike path, faced off on Stanford’s palm-covered grounds. The “Sit-In to Stop Genocide” encampment was erected by students in mid-October, even before Israeli troops had crossed into Gaza, to demand that the university divest from Israel and condemn its behavior. Posters were hung equating Hamas with Ukraine and Nelson Mandela. Across from the sit-in, a rival group of pro-Israel students eventually set up the “Blue and White Tent” to provide, as one activist put it, a “safe space” to “be a proud Jew on campus.” Soon it became the center of its own cluster of tents, with photos of Hamas’s victims sitting opposite the rubble-ridden images of Gaza and a long (and incomplete) list of the names of slain Palestinians displayed by the students at the sit-in.

Some days the dueling encampments would host only a few people each, but on a sunny weekday afternoon, there could be dozens. Most of the time, the groups tolerated each other. But not always. Students on both sides were reportedly spit on and yelled at, and had their belongings destroyed. (The perpetrators in many cases seemed to be adults who weren’t affiliated with Stanford, a security guard told me.) The university put in place round-the-clock security, but when something actually happened, no one quite knew what to do.

Conor Friedersdorf: How October 7 changed America’s free speech culture

Stanford has a policy barring overnight camping, but for months didn’t enforce it, “out of a desire to support the peaceful expression of free speech in the ways that students choose to exercise that expression”—and, the administration told alumni, because the university feared that confronting the students would only make the conflict worse. When the school finally said the tents had to go last month, enormous protests against the university administration, and against Israel, followed.

“We don’t want no two states! We want all of ’48!” students chanted, a slogan advocating that Israel be dismantled and replaced by a single Arab nation. Palestinian flags flew alongside bright “Welcome!” banners left over from new-student orientation. A young woman gave a speech that seemed to capture the sense of urgency and power that so many students here feel. “We are Stanford University!” she shouted. “We control things!”

“W e’ve had protests in the past,” Richard Saller, the university’s interim president, told me in November—about the environment, and apartheid, and Vietnam. But they didn’t pit “students against each other” the way that this conflict has.

I’ve spoken with Saller, a scholar of Roman history, a few times over the past six months in my capacity as a student journalist. We first met in September, a few weeks into his tenure. His predecessor, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, had resigned as president after my reporting for The Stanford Daily exposed misconduct in his academic research. (Tessier-Lavigne had failed to retract papers with faked data over the course of 20 years. In his resignation statement , he denied allegations of fraud and misconduct; a Stanford investigation determined that he had not personally manipulated data or ordered any manipulation but that he had repeatedly “failed to decisively and forthrightly correct mistakes” from his lab.)

In that first conversation, Saller told me that everyone was “eager to move on” from the Tessier-Lavigne scandal. He was cheerful and upbeat. He knew he wasn’t staying in the job long; he hadn’t even bothered to move into the recently vacated presidential manor. In any case, campus, at that time, was serene. Then, a week later, came October 7.

The attack was as clear a litmus test as one could imagine for the Middle East conflict. Hamas insurgents raided homes and a music festival with the goal of slaughtering as many civilians as possible. Some victims were raped and mutilated, several independent investigations found. Hundreds of hostages were taken into Gaza and many have been tortured.

This, of course, was bad. Saying this was bad does not negate or marginalize the abuses and suffering Palestinians have experienced in Gaza and elsewhere. Everyone, of every ideology, should be able to say that this was bad. But much of this campus failed that simple test.

Two days after the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Stanford released milquetoast statements marking the “moment of intense emotion” and declaring “deep concern” over “the crisis in Israel and Palestine.” The official statements did not use the words Hamas or violence .

The absence of a clear institutional response led some teachers to take matters into their own hands. During a mandatory freshman seminar on October 10, a lecturer named Ameer Loggins tossed out his lesson plan to tell students that the actions of the Palestinian “military force” had been justified, that Israelis were colonizers, and that the Holocaust had been overemphasized, according to interviews I conducted with students in the class. Loggins then asked the Jewish students to identify themselves. He instructed one of them to “stand up, face the window, and he kind of kicked away his chair,” a witness told me. Loggins described this as an effort to demonstrate Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. (Loggins did not reply to a request for comment; a spokesperson for Stanford said that there were “different recollections of the details regarding what happened” in the class.)

“We’re only in our third week of college, and we’re afraid to be here,” three students in the class wrote in an email that night to administrators. “This isn’t what Stanford was supposed to be.” The class Loggins taught is called COLLEGE, short for “Civic, Liberal, and Global Education,” and it is billed as an effort to develop “the skills that empower and enable us to live together.”

Loggins was suspended from teaching duties and an investigation was opened; this angered pro-Palestine activists, who organized a petition that garnered more than 1,700 signatures contesting the suspension. A pamphlet from the petitioners argued that Loggins’s behavior had not been out of bounds.

The day after the class, Stanford put out a statement written by Saller and Jenny Martinez, the university provost, more forcefully condemning the Hamas attack. Immediately, this new statement generated backlash.

Pro-Palestine activists complained about it during an event held the same day, the first of several “teach-ins” about the conflict. Students gathered in one of Stanford’s dorms to “bear witness to the struggles of decolonization.” The grievances and pain shared by Palestinian students were real. They told of discrimination and violence, of frightened family members subjected to harsh conditions. But the most raucous reaction from the crowd was in response to a young woman who said, “You ask us, do we condemn Hamas? Fuck you!” She added that she was “so proud of my resistance.”

David Palumbo-Liu, a professor of comparative literature with a focus on postcolonial studies, also spoke at the teach-in, explaining to the crowd that “European settlers” had come to “replace” Palestine’s “native population.”

Palumbo-Liu is known as an intelligent and supportive professor, and is popular among students, who call him by his initials, DPL. I wanted to ask him about his involvement in the teach-in, so we met one day in a café a few hundred feet away from the tents. I asked if he could elaborate on what he’d said at the event about Palestine’s native population. He was happy to expand: This was “one of those discussions that could go on forever. Like, who is actually native? At what point does nativism lapse, right? Well, you haven’t been native for X number of years, so …” In the end, he said, “you have two people who both feel they have a claim to the land,” and “they have to live together. Both sides have to cede something.”

The struggle at Stanford, he told me, “is to find a way in which open discussions can be had that allow people to disagree.” It’s true that Stanford has utterly failed in its efforts to encourage productive dialogue. But I still found it hard to reconcile DPL’s words with his public statements on Israel, which he’d recently said on Facebook should be “the most hated nation in the world.” He also wrote: “When Zionists say they don’t feel ‘safe’ on campus, I’ve come to see that as they no longer feel immune to criticism of Israel.” He continued: “Well as the saying goes, get used to it.”

Z ionists, and indeed Jewish students of all political beliefs, have been given good reason to fear for their safety. They’ve been followed, harassed, and called derogatory racial epithets. At least one was told he was a “dirty Jew.” At least twice, mezuzahs have been ripped from students’ doors, and swastikas have been drawn in dorms. Arab and Muslim students also face alarming threats. The computer-science section leader, El Boudali, a pro-Palestine activist, told me he felt “safe personally,” but knew others who did not: “Some people have reported feeling like they’re followed, especially women who wear the hijab.”

In a remarkably short period of time, aggression and abuse have become commonplace, an accepted part of campus activism. In January, Jewish students organized an event dedicated to ameliorating anti-Semitism. It marked one of Saller’s first public appearances in the new year. Its topic seemed uncontroversial, and I thought it would generate little backlash.

Protests began before the panel discussion even started, with activists lining the stairs leading to the auditorium. During the event they drowned out the panelists, one of whom was Israel’s special envoy for combatting anti-Semitism, by demanding a cease-fire. After participants began cycling out into the dark, things got ugly.

Activists, their faces covered by keffiyehs or medical masks, confronted attendees. “Go back to Brooklyn!” a young woman shouted at Jewish students. One protester, who emerged as the leader of the group, said that she and her compatriots would “take all of your places and ensure Israel falls.” She told attendees to get “off our fucking campus” and launched into conspiracy theories about Jews being involved in “child trafficking.” As a rabbi tried to leave the event, protesters pursued him, chanting, “There is only one solution! Intifada revolution!”

At one point, some members of the group turned on a few Stanford employees, including another rabbi, an imam, and a chaplain, telling them, “We know your names and we know where you work.” The ringleader added: “And we’ll soon find out where you live.” The religious leaders formed a protective barrier in front of the Jewish students. The rabbi and the imam appeared to be crying.

S aller avoided the protest by leaving through another door. Early that morning, his private residence had been vandalized. Protesters frequently tell him he “can’t hide” and shout him down. “We charge you with genocide!” they chant, demanding that Stanford divest from Israel. (When asked whether Stanford actually invested in Israel, a spokesperson replied that, beyond small exposures from passive funds that track indexes such as the S&P 500, the university’s endowment “has no direct holdings in Israeli companies, or direct holdings in defense contractors.”)

When the university finally said the protest tents had to be removed, students responded by accusing Saller of suppressing their right to free speech. This is probably the last charge he expected to face. Saller once served as provost at the University of Chicago, which is known for holding itself to a position of strict institutional neutrality so that its students can freely explore ideas for themselves. Saller has a lifelong belief in First Amendment rights. But that conviction in impartial college governance does not align with Stanford’s behavior in recent years. Despite the fact that many students seemed largely uninterested in the headlines before this year, Stanford’s administrative leadership has often taken positions on political issues and events, such as the Paris climate conference and the murder of George Floyd. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Stanford’s Hoover Tower was lit up in blue and yellow, and the school released a statement in solidarity.

Thomas Chatterton Williams: Let the activists have their loathsome rallies

When we first met, a week before October 7, I asked Saller about this. Did Stanford have a moral duty to denounce the war in Ukraine, for example, or the ethnic cleansing of Uyghur Muslims in China? “On international political issues, no,” he said. “That’s not a responsibility for the university as a whole, as an institution.”

But when Saller tried to apply his convictions on neutrality for the first time as president, dozens of faculty members condemned the response, many pro-Israel alumni were outraged, donors had private discussions about pulling funding, and an Israeli university sent an open letter to Saller and Martinez saying, “Stanford’s administration has failed us.” The initial statement had tried to make clear that the school’s policy was not Israel-specific: It noted that the university would not take a position on the turmoil in Nagorno-Karabakh (where Armenians are undergoing ethnic cleansing) either. But the message didn’t get through.

Saller had to beat an awkward retreat or risk the exact sort of public humiliation that he, as caretaker president, had presumably been hired to avoid. He came up with a compromise that landed somewhere in the middle: an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’s “intolerable atrocities” paired with a statement making clear that Stanford would commit to institutional neutrality going forward.

“The events in Israel and Gaza this week have affected and engaged large numbers of students on our campus in ways that many other events have not,” the statement read. “This is why we feel compelled to both address the impact of these events on our campus and to explain why our general policy of not issuing statements about news events not directly connected to campus has limited the breadth of our comments thus far, and why you should not expect frequent commentary from us in the future.”

I asked Saller why he had changed tack on Israel and not on Nagorno-Karabakh. “We don’t feel as if we should be making statements on every war crime and atrocity,” he told me. This felt like a statement in and of itself.

In making such decisions, Saller works closely with Martinez, Stanford’s provost. I happened to interview her, too, a few days before October 7, not long after she’d been appointed. When I asked about her hopes for the job, she said that a “priority is ensuring an environment in which free speech and academic freedom are preserved.”

We talked about the so-called Leonard Law—a provision unique to California that requires private universities to be governed by the same First Amendment protections as public ones. This restricts what Stanford can do in terms of penalizing speech, putting it in a stricter bind than Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, or any of the other elite private institutions that have more latitude to set the standards for their campus (whether or not they have done so).

So I was surprised when, in December, the university announced that abstract calls for genocide “clearly violate Stanford’s Fundamental Standard, the code of conduct for all students at the university.” The statement was a response to the outrage following the congressional testimony of three university presidents—outrage that eventually led to the resignation of two of them, Harvard’s Claudine Gay and Penn’s Liz Magill. Gay and Magill, who had both previously held positions at Stanford, did not commit to punishing calls for the genocide of Jews.

Experts told me that Stanford’s policy is impossible to enforce—and Saller himself acknowledged as much in our March interview.

“Liz Magill is a good friend,” Saller told me, adding, “Having watched what happened at Harvard and Penn, it seemed prudent” to publicly state that Stanford rejected calls for genocide. But saying that those calls violate the code of conduct “is not the same thing as to say that we could actually punish it.”

Stanford’s leaders seem to be trying their best while adapting to the situation in real time. But the muddled messaging has created a policy of neutrality that does not feel neutral at all.

When we met back in November, I tried to get Saller to open up about his experience running an institution in turmoil. What’s it like to know that so many students seem to believe that he—a mild-mannered 71-year-old classicist who swing-dances with his anthropologist wife—is a warmonger? Saller was more candid than I expected—perhaps more candid than any prominent university president has been yet. We sat in the same conference room as we had in September. The weather hadn’t really changed. Yet I felt like I was sitting in front of a different person. He was hunched over and looked exhausted, and his voice broke when he talked about the loss of life in Gaza and Israel and “the fact that we’re caught up in it.” A capable administrator with decades of experience, Saller seemed almost at a loss. “It’s been a kind of roller coaster, to be honest.”

He said he hadn’t anticipated the deluge of the emails “blaming me for lack of moral courage.” Anything the university says seems bound to be wrong: “If I say that our position is that we grieve over the loss of innocent lives, that in itself will draw some hostile reactions.”

“I find that really difficult to navigate,” he said with a sigh.

By March, it seemed that his views had solidified. He said he knew he was “a target,” but he was not going to be pushed into issuing any more statements. The continuing crisis seems to have granted him new insight. “I am certain that whatever I say will not have any material effect on the war in Gaza.” It’s hard to argue with that.

P eople tend to blame the campus wars on two villains: dithering administrators and radical student activists. But colleges have always had dithering administrators and radical student activists. To my mind, it’s the average students who have changed.

Elite universities attract a certain kind of student: the overachieving striver who has won all the right accolades for all the right activities. Is it such a surprise that the kids who are trained in the constant pursuit of perfect scores think they have to look at the world like a series of multiple-choice questions, with clearly right or wrong answers? Or that they think they can gamify a political cause in the same way they ace a standardized test?

Everyone knows that the only reliable way to get into a school like Stanford is to be really good at looking really good. Now that they’re here, students know that one easy way to keep looking good is to side with the majority of protesters, and condemn Israel.

It’s not that there isn’t real anger and anxiety over what is happening in Gaza—there is, and justifiably so. I know that among the protesters are many people who are deeply connected to this issue. But they are not the majority. What really activates the crowds now seems less a principled devotion to Palestine or to pacifism than a desire for collective action, to fit in by embracing the fashionable cause of the moment—as if a centuries-old conflict in which both sides have stolen and killed could ever be a simple matter of right and wrong. In their haste to exhibit moral righteousness, many of the least informed protesters end up being the loudest and most uncompromising.

Today’s students grew up in the Trump era, in which violent rhetoric has become a normal part of political discourse and activism is as easy as reposting an infographic. Many young people have come to feel that being angry is enough to foment change. Furious at the world’s injustices and desperate for a simple way to express that fury, they don’t seem interested in any form of engagement more nuanced than backing a pure protagonist and denouncing an evil enemy. They don’t, always, seem that concerned with the truth.

At the protest last month to prevent the removal of the sit-in, an activist in a pink Women’s March “pussy hat” shouted that no rape was committed by Hamas on October 7. “There hasn’t been proof of these rape accusations,” a student told me in a separate conversation, criticizing the Blue and White Tent for spreading what he considered to be misinformation about sexual violence. (In March, a United Nations report found “reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence,” including “rape and gang rape,” occurred in multiple locations on October 7, as well as “clear and convincing information” on the “rape and sexualized torture” of hostages.) “The level of propaganda” surrounding Hamas, he told me, “is just unbelievable.”

The real story at Stanford is not about the malicious actors who endorse sexual assault and murder as forms of resistance, but about those who passively enable them because they believe their side can do no wrong. You don’t have to understand what you’re arguing for in order to argue for it. You don’t have to be able to name the river or the sea under discussion to chant “From the river to the sea.” This kind of obliviousness explains how one of my friends, a gay activist, can justify Hamas’s actions, even though it would have the two of us—an outspoken queer person and a Jewish reporter—killed in a heartbeat. A similar mentality can exist on the other side: I have heard students insist on the absolute righteousness of Israel yet seem uninterested in learning anything about what life is like in Gaza.

I’m familiar with the pull of achievement culture—after all, I’m a product of the same system. I fell in love with Stanford as a 7-year-old, lying on the floor of an East Coast library and picturing all the cool technology those West Coast geniuses were dreaming up. I cried when I was accepted; I spent the next few months scrolling through the course catalog, giddy with anticipation. I wanted to learn everything.

I learned more than I expected. Within my first week here, someone asked me: “Why are all Jews so rich?” In 2016, when Stanford’s undergraduate senate had debated a resolution against anti-Semitism, one of its members argued that the idea of “Jews controlling the media, economy, government, and other societal institutions” represented “a very valid discussion.” (He apologized, and the resolution passed.) In my dorm last year, a student discussed being Jewish and awoke the next day to swastikas and a portrait of Hitler affixed to his door.

David Frum: There is no right to bully and harass

I grew up secularly, with no strong affiliation to Jewish culture. When I found out as a teenager that some of my ancestors had hidden their identity from their children and that dozens of my relatives had died in the Holocaust (something no living member of my family had known), I felt the barest tremor of identity. After I saw so many people I know cheering after October 7, I felt something stronger stir. I know others have experienced something similar. Even a professor texted me to say that she felt Jewish in a way she never had before.

But my frustration with the conflict on campus has little to do with my own identity. Across the many conversations and hours of formal interviews I conducted for this article, I’ve encountered a persistent anti-intellectual streak. I’ve watched many of my classmates treat death so cavalierly that they can protest as a pregame to a party. Indeed, two parties at Stanford were reported to the university this fall for allegedly making people say “Fuck Israel” or “Free Palestine” to get in the door. A spokesperson for the university said it was “unable to confirm the facts of what occurred,” but that it had “met with students involved in both parties to make clear that Stanford’s nondiscrimination policy applies to parties.” As a friend emailed me not long ago: “A place that was supposed to be a sanctuary from such unreason has become a factory for it.”

Readers may be tempted to discount the conduct displayed at Stanford. After all, the thinking goes, these are privileged kids doing what they always do: embracing faux-radicalism in college before taking jobs in fintech or consulting. These students, some might say, aren’t representative of America.

And yet they are representative of something: of the conduct many of the most accomplished students in my generation have accepted as tolerable, and what that means for the future of our country. I admire activism. We need people willing to protest what they see as wrong and take on entrenched systems of repression. But we also need to read, learn, discuss, accept the existence of nuance, embrace diversity of thought, and hold our own allies to high standards. More than ever, we need universities to teach young people how to do all of this.

F or so long , Stanford’s physical standoff seemed intractable. Then, in early February, a storm swept in, and the natural world dictated its own conclusion.

Heavy rains flooded campus. For hours, the students battled to save their tents. The sit-in activists used sandbags and anything else they could find to hold back the water—at one point, David Palumbo-Liu, the professor, told me he stood in the lashing downpour to anchor one of the sit-in’s tents with his own body. When the storm hit, many of the Jewish activists had been attending a discussion on anti-Semitism. They raced back and struggled to salvage the Blue and White Tent, but it was too late—the wind had ripped it out of the ground.

The next day, the weary Jewish protesters returned to discover that their space had been taken.

A new collection of tents had been set up by El Boudali, the pro-Palestine activist, and a dozen friends. He said they were there to protest Islamophobia and to teach about Islam and jihad, and that they were a separate entity from the Sit-In to Stop Genocide, though I observed students cycling between the tents. Palestinian flags now flew from the bookstore to the quad.

Administrators told me they’d quickly informed El Boudali and his allies that the space had been reserved by the Jewish advocates, and offered to help move them to a different location. But the protesters told me they had no intention of going. (El Boudali later said that they did not take over the entire space, and would have been “happy to exist side by side, but they wanted to kick us off entirely from that lawn.”)

When it was clear that the area where they’d set up their tents would not be ceded back to the pro-Israel group willingly, Stanford changed course and decided to clear everyone out in one fell swoop. On February 8, school officials ordered all students to vacate the plaza overnight. The university was finally going to enforce its rule prohibiting people from sleeping outside on campus and requiring the removal of belongings from the plaza between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. The order cited the danger posed by the storm as a justification for changing course and, probably hoping to avoid allegations of bias, described the decision as “viewpoint-neutral.”

That didn’t work.

About a week of protests, led by the sit-in organizers, followed. Chants were chanted. More demands for a “river to the sea” solution to the Israel problem were made. A friend boasted to me about her willingness to be arrested. Stanford sent a handful of staff members, who stood near balloons left over from an event earlier in the day. They were there, one of them told me, to “make students feel supported and safe.”

In the end, Saller and Martinez agreed to talk with the leaders of the sit-in about their demands to divest the university and condemn Israel, under the proviso that the activists comply with Stanford’s anti-camping guidelines “regardless of the outcome of discussions.” Eight days after they were first instructed to leave, 120 days after setting up camp, the sit-in protesters slept in their own beds. In defiance of the university’s instructions, they left behind their tents. But sometime in the very early hours of the morning, law-enforcement officers confiscated the structures. The area was cordoned off without any violence and the plaza filled once more with electric skateboards and farmers’ markets.

The conflict continues in its own way. Saller was just shouted down by protesters chanting “No peace on stolen land” at a Family Weekend event, and protesters later displayed an effigy of him covered in blood. Students still feel tense; Saller still seems worried. He told me that the university is planning to change all manner of things—residential-assistant training, new-student orientation, even the acceptance letters that students receive—in hopes of fostering a culture of greater tolerance. But no campus edict or panel discussion can address a problem that is so much bigger than our university.

At one rally last fall, a speaker expressed disillusionment about the power of “peaceful resistance” on college campuses. “What is there left to do but to take up arms?” The crowd cheered as he said Israel must be destroyed. But what would happen to its citizens? I’d prefer to believe that most protesters chanting “Palestine is Arab” and shouting that we must “smash the Zionist settler state” don’t actually think Jews should be killed en masse. But can one truly be so ignorant as to advocate widespread violence in the name of peace?

When the world is rendered in black-and-white—portrayed as a simple fight between colonizer and colonized—the answer is yes. Solutions, by this logic, are absolute: Israel or Palestine, nothing in between. Either you support liberation of the oppressed or you support genocide. Either Stanford is all good or all bad; all in favor of free speech or all authoritarian; all anti-Semitic or all Islamophobic.

At January’s anti-anti-Semitism event, I watched an exchange between a Jewish attendee and a protester from a few feet away. “Are you pro-Palestine?” the protester asked.

“Yes,” the attendee responded, and he went on to describe his disgust with the human-rights abuses Palestinians have faced for years.

“But are you a Zionist?”

“Then we are enemies.”

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After a Year of Turmoil, Harvard’s Applications Drop

With the exception of Brown University, some other highly selective schools saw a record rise in the number of students who applied for admission.

By Anemona Hartocollis and Stephanie Saul

Applications to Harvard College were down this year, even as many other highly selective schools hit record highs.

The drop suggests that a year of turmoil — which went into overdrive with a student letter that said Israel was “entirely responsible” for the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks — may have dented Harvard’s reputation and deterred some students from applying.

Harvard’s announcement on Thursday evening came as all eight Ivy League schools sent out their notices of admission or rejection, known as Ivy Day.

While Brown University also saw a drop in applications, applications rose at many other elite colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Columbia, M.I.T., Bowdoin, Amherst and the University of Virginia.

Harvard focused on the positive.

“Beyond another strong applicant pool, we are delighted by the stunning array of talents and lived experiences the class of 2028 will bring with them from throughout the United States and around the world,” William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid, said in a statement.

College counselors and admissions experts said that it was difficult to pin down the factors behind the decline in Harvard’s numbers, but that the scrutiny has been intense and, by some accounts, the reputational damage severe. It began with a historic Supreme Court decision on June 29, striking down decades of affirmative action policy at Harvard that had become a model for higher education across the country. It culminated in the resignation on Jan. 2 of Claudine Gay, who was not just Harvard’s president, but its first Black president. At that point, she faced accusations of plagiarism in her scholarly work, which she stood by, on top of complaints about her evasive testimony on antisemitism in December before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

The effect on Harvard was so striking that a cartoon in The New York Daily News by Bill Bramhall showed a girl telling her parents, “Darn. I got into Harvard.”

A private college admissions coach, Hafeez Lakhani, said that the anxiety over campus climate was particularly acute in the fall. “Students were terrified about the doxxing trucks, the C.E.O.s calling for protester names, students losing job offers for speaking up about Israel-Palestine,” he said. “I think that drove some applicants to less-spotlight schools.”

Another coach, Deb Felix, said she had referred her concerned clients to a Facebook group Mothers Against College Antisemitism , which has gained 55,700 members since it was formed in late October, as a resource on campus climate.

But some families, even Orthodox Jewish families, were not deterred by the bad publicity.

“Getting accepted to Harvard is still getting accepted to Harvard,” said Rivka Scheinfeld, whose daughter, Tamar, a student at YULA High School, a Jewish day school in Los Angeles, was accepted early. Tamar said she applied after Oct. 7, and thought she could be a voice against antisemitism. “I want to go, I want to advocate for something that I know is right,” she said.

Many schools have been shaken by protests over the war in Gaza, as well as by complaints of antisemitism and Islamophobia over the last few months. Brown saw its share of campus conflict over the war, with dozens of students arrested for trespassing following two sit-ins on campus.

But the University of Pennsylvania saw record applications — 65,230 — a nearly 10 percent rise from the year before, despite criticism of its then-president, M. Elizabeth Magill, for her legalistic testimony on antisemitism in the House hearing.

One significant difference between Harvard and Penn: Ms. Magill resigned swiftly — on Dec. 9, four days after her testimony. Dr. Gay, who testified the same day, lingered on until Jan. 2, as accusations of plagiarism against her mounted on top of the complaints that she had not taken a strong enough stance against antisemitism.

Overall, Harvard received 54,008 undergraduate applications in this admissions cycle, compared with 56,937 last year, a drop of about 5 percent. That continues a trend that began with early applications, which were down 17 percent this cycle. Regular applications were down by almost 3 percent, to 46,087 from 47,384.

The college offered admission to 1,937 students for the class of 2028. Harvard said that despite the year-to-year decline in numbers, this was the fourth year in a row that the college had received more than 50,000 applications.

Application numbers have been high since the start of the pandemic, after Harvard and other schools dropped their requirements for standardized test scores. Mr. Lakhani, the college consultant, said that the boost was fading as more students realized that they still needed to submit test scores to stay competitive.

But at M.I.T., which reinstated testing requirements, applications were up by almost 5 percent. Its president, Sally Kornbluth, survived the congressional grilling that helped topple Dr. Gay and Ms. Magill.

Among the Ivies, applications to Brown were down by almost 5 percent from last year, still the third-largest applicant pool it has ever had. Brian Clark, a Brown spokesman, said that some students were put off by a longer application with more essay questions.

Yale and Dartmouth said they had received a record number of applications, both up by 10 percent from last year. At Columbia, which also was in the news because of student protests, applications rose by about 5 percent. Cornell and Princeton said they had made a policy decision not to release the number of applicants or the admission rates.

Applications also rose at the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, which was a defendant in the landmark Supreme Court decision on affirmative action.

Because of the Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious admissions, colleges have said they will not be releasing the racial or ethnic breakdown of their applicants or admitted students until the summer or fall, after the waiting lists have been exhausted.

But it appeared that colleges were using other methods to enhance the diversity of their incoming classes, such as the recruitment of poor and rural students and students who would be the first generation in their families to go to college.

Harvard said that first-generation students made up about 20 percent of the class and that students eligible for federal Pell grants, a measure of poverty, made up almost 21 percent. Other colleges declined to release the poverty figures, saying the numbers were uncertain because of problems with the federal student aid application.

Anemona Hartocollis is a national reporter for The Times, covering higher education. More about Anemona Hartocollis

Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. More about Stephanie Saul

Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

CHICAGO — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

WONDERING IF SCHOOLS 'EXPECT A SOB STORY'

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

A RULING PROMPTS PIVOTS ON ESSAY TOPICS

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process . They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

SPELLING OUT THE IMPACT OF RACE

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black .

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

WILL SCHOOLS LOSE RACIAL DIVERSITY?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair . She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel affirmative action ruling leaves no choice

When the supreme court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions..

By The Associated Press

5:20 AM on Mar 28, 2024 CDT

CHICAGO — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

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Related: Gov. Abbott issues executive order fighting antisemitism at Texas colleges

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Do schools ‘expect a sob story’?

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

Related: Texas colleges risk millions if they break DEI ban, lawmaker says

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Ruling prompts pivots on essay topics

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Ore., had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process. They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Related: Dallas approves more than $30 million in contracts to improve sidewalks citywide

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Spelling out the impact of race

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black.

Related: Federal appeals court questions legality of Texas immigration law

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Will schools lose racial diversity?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

By Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Noreen Nasir of The Associated Press

The Associated Press

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