Dear Readers:
On behalf of the Collegian editors, welcome to the University of Richmond, both to returning students and to those attending UR for the first time this fall. Whether you are attending classes remotely or in person, we hope you are well and safe.
This summer, The Collegian staff has been paying close attention to the social movements on our campus, in the city of Richmond, across the U.S. and around the world. Since the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests in late May, many members of the community have reflected upon the racial discrimination that exists on our campus. It is vital that the racial bias that has existed within The Collegian be addressed too.
Since 1914, The Collegian has existed as the student newspaper at UR and a publication for Spiders near and far. Yet, at the same time, The Collegian has also been a predominately white organization, which inherently has affected its ability to holistically report on and about the campus community. The Collegian cannot cover the diversity of thought at UR if it does not have a diverse staff. Our inability to be fully inclusive in our coverage is reflected in articles published in The Collegian’s archives. Time and time again, The Collegian has failed to consistently feature perspectives from people of color.
In hopes of beginning to remedy this, The Collegian will be adding a new section to our newspaper, Notes from the Margins. This is a section for students of color to share their stories, opinions, art and more. In addition, The Collegian will create columns within this section to amplify Black and Indigenous voices specifically. The section will be co-led by Shira Greer and Kristen Starks.
In early June, The Collegian published a letter to the reader stating that “every member of the UR community deserves to be heard and deserves to be represented [in The Collegian], not just those from majority groups.” It is important to note that writers do not have to be on The Collegian’s staff nor be a part of the journalism department to contribute to Notes from the Margins as well as any other section in our newspaper.
This section is just the beginning for The Collegian in its journey to better cultivate civic engagement and represent the entire campus community. How this section will evolve throughout this year and years to come is unforeseen. Our hope is that Notes from the Margins is a first step for The Collegian to become more inclusive in its coverage and on its staff. The Collegian will continue to work on ways it can become a better and more equitable organization.
As editor-in-chief, I am excited to see what Greer and Starks accomplish during their tenures as Notes from the Margins editors. I sought Greer and Starks to be this section’s inaugural co-editors because I believe that they will bring students’ robust ideas to the forefront of this section. I am thankful that they decided to work with The Collegian and join our staff. They are talented writers and leaders; I know they will work diligently to help produce stories that UR needs to hear.
I recognize that it is crucial for The Collegian to do its part in making every section of the newsroom diverse in order to create inclusive coverage and an inclusive newsroom. Ultimately, I hope this section can be a foundation for The Collegian to better represent all perspectives in the Spider community from here on out. I am looking forward to reading what you all write.
Always our best,
Olivia Diaz, editor-in-chief
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Kristen Starks, Notes from the Margins co-editor
Shira Greer, Notes from the Margins co-editor
Emma Davis, managing editor
Morgan Howland, investigative editor
Jackie Llanos, news editor
Emma Phelps, lifestyle editor
Heather Neiman, public relations director
Susanna Getis, international editor
Grace Mittl, sports co-editor
William Roberts, features editor
Ben Wasserstein, visual editor
Nina Joss, multimedia editor
Krystian Hajduczka, sports co-editor
Bella Holmgren, magazine editor
Eileen Pomeroy, newsletter director
Morgan Tolan, social media manager
Lady Corral, business manager of development
Conner Evans, opinions and columns editor
If you would like to submit your content for this section, email co-editors Shira Greer and Kristen Starks at notesfromthemargins@thecollegianur.com.
Contact editor-in-chief Olivia Diaz at olivia.diaz@richmond.edu.
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