Dear Readers,
In March 2019, The Sandspur celebrated its 125th anniversary. Since 1894, its history has been filled with event coverage, objections to college policies, and social statements. The Sandspur has engaged with U.S. history through its content. Some of that history is not worth celebrating.
Over the summer, it came to the attention of our staff that The Sandspur had published articles containing racially motivated “jokes” in the past. These articles were extremely disrespectful and completely unacceptable for a college newspaper where students are meant to feel safe and valued. There was not enough care about equality to call out these articles or ask that The Sandspur do better.
It is important now for The Sandspur to take full responsibility for its blemished past and work towards a newspaper that is completely objective and welcoming of all Rollins students. We encourage students to share their thoughts, give their opinions, and trust The Sandspur to deliver unbiased campus news.
The Sandspur has gone through a lot of changes over the decades. When I first joined as a freelance writer in 2017, we had just started the transition from a colorful tabloid to a serious investigative newspaper. This is The Sandspur I am committed to upholding. The Sandspur that covered the lack of diversity in STEM programs, the slashing of funding to women’s spaces, the lack of accessibility on campus, and the work, progress, and changes of inclusion organizations like Voices.
We want to encourage ALL students to share their voices, whether that is through approaching The Sandspur with a concern about campus policy or activities, writing an article for the paper, or participating in interviews when writers seek student input.
There is still work to be done to ensure that all students feel safe and important when engaging with The Sandspur, and we are ready and willing to do that work. We are always open to comments, criticisms, and suggestions on how to do better.
To contact the Editor-In-Chief of The Sandspur, email chief@thesandspur.org.
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