The Value of On-Campus News

The cornerstone of our Constitution, the Bill of Rights outlines in its First Amendment the power and the importance of a free press. The Founding Fathers endorsed this right as a mechanism for placing power in the hands of the people, helping them shape the social and political climate of their country and hold their leaders accountable.
This is no truer than on small college campuses like Trinity. Due to small class sizes and an undergraduate population barely hitting 2,500, Trinity students are in a unique position to make a real impact on the community-at-large, making big ripples in a relatively small pond.
Student-run newspapers on college campuses provide a forum in which their peers can speak freely and have a mission to foster a meaningful discussion between members of the student body that may be more thoughtful than a twenty word tweet or more original than a assignment submitted for class. By voicing their opinion in a forum unique to Trinity and read by campus community members, students can foster the kind of campus culture they desire.
Similarly, campus newspapers hold their leaders accountable by providing a direct connection between the student body and the administration. They provide an outlet where interested students have the opportunity to directly interview school officials and administrators.
Campus news can also impact national headlines. For example, the recent balcony collapse. While administrators have been hesitant to address the media at large, they felt compelled to speak to The Tripod. Additionally, student-run newspapers hold the ability to expose potentially unsavory collegiate administrative practices, practices media outlets may have no inclination to investigate.
For The Tripod to be successful, there must be a symbiotic relationship between the student body and the newspaper, which depends on students to share their experiences and voice their opinions. Increasing participation in this capacity will only serve to enrich the student experience for all living together as members of a campus community.
– AEG & CCSN