Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

I would like to take some time out to clarify the purpose of journalism and more importantly the role of The Corsair on campus. This semester, various groups have come knocking on the newsroom door, upset at the coverage they received from myself and the staff.

The Corsair is not Santa Monica College's cheerleader, or personal advertising agency. Our job is to keep the student body informed.

A value that was instilled in me very early on when learning the rules of reporting is that journalism serves as society's watchdog. It is our job to expose injustice and social inequity.

As journalists we have the ability to alter the perceptions and opinions of our readers and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

I love this campus and my writing career has taken me to every inch of our college, from the main campus to the satellite campuses, often times running into breaking news along the way.

I have many friends scattered throughout just about every department, yet despite my personal feelings I can not paint stories or events in a favorable light just to please the parties involved.

I want to make it clear to everyone that it's our job to report on what is said in public forums. What you say in public is free game, and it's in the best interest of public figures to be aware of their choice of words.

It's in the best interest of groups on campus to be on the same page when you know there is a Corsair reporter present. In addition to being the campus watchdog it is also our duty to scrutinize various groups on campus. I want to make it clear that I respect campus organizations and all the effort they put into improving our campus and the quality of life within it.

When the faculty, campus police, AS, or even the Board of Trustees make mistakes, no one on Campus would ever know if it weren't for the diligence of The Corsair.

However, when we make mistakes it's immortalized in print for the entire campus to see.

At the end of the day we are all students, who put in hours of work every week into extracurriculars and activities pertaining to our respective groups.

It is never the intent of The Corsair to be malicious or inaccurate. We strive for excellence and our work reflects that.

If you don't like what I have to say or what we print, I welcome you to write us a letter.