About

The Wellesley News is the only newspaper of Wellesley College and has served the community since its founding in 1901. The News’ print edition is released every other Thursday and we provide timely updates on our website and social media platforms.

History

 In 1897, Mary Esther Chase (Class of 1896) founded the Wellesley Tea Room Corporation after noticing that there was “no place in Wellesley village where the Faculty and Undergraduates of Wellesley College could meet for relaxation and social intercourse.” 

In 1901, Chase used this business to found the College News, establishing Wellesley’s first — and only — student newspaper, which would eventually become The Wellesley News. Chase organized the paper to be printed from the Tea Room and funded by the Corporation’s profits. In October 1901, Chase, alongside business manager Caroline Wright Rogers ’00, printed the first issue of the College News. Published weekly, it sold for five cents per copy, or 50 cents for a yearly subscription. 

Over time, the newspaper has expanded its scope and changed its name several times. Nine years after the first issue, in October 1911, the College News’ era elapsed, and the newspaper officially became Wellesley College News. In March 1967, the name changed to Wellesley News. In April 1980, the newspaper established its current name, The Wellesley News. 

In 1914, Chase sold the Tea Room to Jeremiah Bransfield, who merged it with the larger Wellesley Inn. The Inn was demolished in 2006 and has since been transformed into a luxury condominium complex. 

While the Tea Room has faded into history, Chase left behind a far more enduring legacy: The Wellesley News, a 125-year-old institution that still serves as the College’s only student newspaper.

Read the full history of the paper here.

Today, The Wellesley News boasts numerous alumni active in business, journalism, and media. Former editors include Diane Sawyer ‘67, Cokie Roberts ‘64, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera ‘91, Yaffa Fredrick ‘11, among others.

Mission

As the only student newspaper of Wellesley College, The Wellesley News has a unique obligation to our readers. To serve them ethically, The Wellesley News and staff affiliated with the News must follow the highest standards of journalism ethics and transparency in our reporting and opinion pieces. 

The members of its news and opinion staff must follow the guidelines below: 

• Report the news and provide opinions on it separately. 
• Report truthfully and get our facts straight, no matter how big or small the story is. 
• Reveal as much information as we can and state what we don’t know. 
• Contact the individuals and institutions we write about so they may defend themselves. 
• Own up to our mistakes and correct them swiftly. 

In addition to all policies listed here, The Wellesley News abides by the principles articulated by the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics, which focuses on seeking truth and reporting it, minimizing harm, acting independently and being accountable.

Diversity, equity and inclusion statement

The Wellesley News is dedicated to covering and raising awareness of underreported issues that affect underrepresented communities. Our newsroom acknowledges that diversity includes race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, life experience and expertise. 

We believe truthful and good journalism can only be achieved by a diverse staff that reflects the diverse communities we cover. We seek to accurately reflect these communities by drawing on a multifaceted range of story subjects and sources. 

Policies

Anonymity

The Wellesley News considers granting anonymity on a case-by-case basis, in conversation with our editors, based on considerations of the source’s safety and livelihood in light of their contributions to a story. The Wellesley News follows the Associated Press standards and values on anonymous sources. 

As stated in AP’s rules, material from anonymous sources may be used only if:

• The material is information, not opinion or speculation and is vital to the report.
• The information is not available except under the conditions of anonymity imposed by the source.
• The source is reliable and in a position to have direct knowledge of the information.

The News must explain why the source requested anonymity in the story and will describe sources’ motives for disclosing the information if relevant. 

Corrections

The Wellesley News is committed to accuracy in its reporting. If we make a mistake, we are eager to correct the error. Please email [email protected]. 

Takedowns

We at The Wellesley News know that the Internet ensures that any content we publish digitally is available forever. Even when information is taken down, we cannot ensure that that information is entirely inaccessible; sites like the Wayback Machine can access information even after it has been removed from our current site. 

We consider all requests for takedowns of personal information from The Wellesley News’ site on a case-by-case basis. Takedowns are appropriate based on considerations of the source or the reporter’s safety and livelihood. Please take these considerations into account when you write for or provide contributions to the News as a reporter or a source. With that being said, we understand that we are in an unprecedented news landscape and consider all requests.