We are honored to be serving as the co-Editors-in-Chief of 120th issue of The Wellesley News for the 2019-2020 school year. Since 1901 The Wellesley News has been committed to delivering factual, unbiased reporting to the student body and to the greater Wellesley community. We are looking forward to working with our team of dedicated and talented journalists to continue this legacy, and to create new traditions and opportunities for student journalists at Wellesley.
As we begin our senior years, we want to reflect on what The Wellesley News means to us. This publication has given us the opportunity to think critically about the place we are meant to call home. Journalism is essential to democratic society, be it the globe, a nation or a campus community. And while The Wellesley News may not be toppling regimes, it cannot be denied that we provide a necessary service for this campus. We strongly believe that our role as student journalists is not to pre-determine any of our readers’ thoughts but to let our sources and the facts speak for themselves. That said, The Wellesley News will continue to act as a safeguard between the administration and students, investigating and reporting the facts to our readers while providing a platform for any and every student to speak their own truths and stories.
We want to dedicate a significant portion of our letter to gratitude. First, to our team committed to working for the betterment of the community even in the toughest weeks. Thank you, next, to the Wellesley College administration for allowing our editorial independence both in the wake of our harder-hitting reporting and the national trend of student publications losing funding and institutional support. Finally, thank you to the student body for providing the backbone of our reporting with the voices and the stories you allow us to tell. This year, we strive to keep this gratitude in mind as we put our best paper in your halls every Wednesday morning.
As the school year progresses, there will be some stories that are harder to report on than others. Know that what the editorial board chooses to highlight comes from a shared sense of wanting this campus and community to be better. Some elected to pursue student government, others residential life as a vehicle for change; we and the rest of our staff chose journalism. We implore our peers to be mindful of this and the fact that we are all students who should be afforded the space to grow.
This year, we are excited to introduce a number of new developments to our publication. First, we would like to welcome our brand-new video team, a collaborative effort between The Wellesley News and WCTV that will combine our reporting with their technical capabilities to produce online content for the Wellesley community and beyond. Second, our revamped Features section will include the “Love and Sex” column, a space for Wellesley students to write, reflect and educate their peers on love and sex, particularly with a LGBTQIA+ focus. Finally, as The Wellesley News commits itself to expanding its investigative arm, we are pleased to announce the establishment of our very own investigative team, “On the Record,” made up of staff writers and editors dedicated to reporting on topics that wholly impact every community member.
We hope you enjoy our first of many publications this year. Thank you for supporting The Wellesley News and the passionate student journalists behind the stories. Here’s to another year of great college journalism!
-Erin Kelly and Jodi Wei