Information is the foundation of a democracy. Without information, constituents cannot provoke the change they wish to see in their community.
At The State Press, it is our responsibility to relay what is going on around campus as well as across the globe to the ASU students, past and present, whom we represent. We are required to diligently seek the truth and report it in the context of our University audience.
We are an independent, student-run news organization. We do not have ties to a corporation, nor are we an arm of the University’s administration. We take these facts seriously, and that's why we report all things ASU — the good, the bad and the in-between.
We are comprised of a diverse group of ASU students. Journalism students work alongside both math and women’s studies majors. Freshman, seniors and grad students fill our ranks. We have aspirations to write for The Times or The Post, and we dream of going to medical school or of starting our own companies. We take the same classes you take, and we too want what is best for our University and ourselves.
The thing is, though, that we don’t know what’s best for any one student, let alone the University as a whole. That’s why we fight to inform the student body. Our goal is not to tell you what to do. Our goal is to provide you with the information necessary to make an informed decision.
Despite the fact that we are a diverse group that aims to represent everyone, we are limited. We are limited by the fact that we are 16 editors plus the reporters and columnists we work with. We are 100 people representing 83,000.
To properly characterize the ASU community and to put our stories in the correct context, we need feedback from as many members of our community as possible. As we go to class and go about our daily lives, we at The State Press constantly search for stories, but we will never have the chance to talk to every student on campus. For that reason, it is imperative to the success of our mission to hear from you. Tell us why you disagree with a stance we took, or what we seemed to miss. Tell us about the amazing work being done by your club, or the issues you’re facing on campus.
We have a number of outlets for you to reach us. Write a letter to the editor. Tweet at us @statepress. Comment on our Facebook posts. All of our articles contain hyperlinks to the emails and Twitter handles you can use to get in touch with the writers and their editors.
If you have qualms with media as a whole, we implore you not to dismiss us, but to challenge us. Hold us to the standard to which you want media to hold themselves accountable, because we are the next wave of journalists. Just as it is our responsibility to act as a check for our University, you as students need to hold us accountable for our reporting, because however you feel about it, we are your voice, and what we say incites change across our campuses.
If you fear that your voice, your views or your opinions are being drowned out in a sea of 83,000 students then talk to us, we will listen. Tell us your story, and we will share it.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
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