The Richland Chronicle accepts letters addressed to the editor so as to reflect as many points of view as possible. We prefer letters to be word-processed and submitted on paper, but will accept letters via e-mail. E-mailed letters are held to the same guidelines as printed letters.
• Letters have priority over columns on the viewpoints page unless columns cannot be delayed.
• Letters may be from any Richland College student, faculty member or staff member and/or members of the community at large and must be accompanied by a signature and a phone number to confirm authenticity (phone number will not be published).
• Every attempt will be made to run all letters received prior to publication deadline (one week prior to publication date); however, not all letters on one topic will be printed. Those that best represent all sides of an issue will be chosen in such cases. The Editor-in-Chief and Viewpoints Editor will make selections to comply with space limitations.
• The Richland Chronicle shall publish all letters to the editor that are not obscene or libelous and do not make racial or religious denigrations. Authors shall be given the opportunity to revise unacceptable letters. The Richland Chronicle will not publish letters as literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry, campaign pleas, or such material as the staff deems not to be a letter. All letters are to be printed with grammatical corrections and may be edited for length. Whenever possible the letter writer should be given the opportunity to reduce the length of the letter.
• Decision to publish the letter shall not be determined by the “wrongness” or “rightness” of the letter’s viewpoint as compared to the staff view.
• If a letter is submitted “as an organization,” the organization’s president must sign it.
• Letters must be signed by the author; however, initials will be used at the author’s request.
• The Richland Chronicle recognizes its position on campus as a printed medium for expressing current student opinion. Therefore, the Richland Chronicle will not become a sounding board for any pressure group. The “letters” columns shall always be conducted in as fair and responsible a manner as possible.
• Letters dealing with individuals or any matter dealing with an individual person’s behavior must be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and adviser or staff prior to publication.
• In order to promote diversity in subject matter, the Viewpoints page will normally limit discussion of any one subject matter to three issues of the paper.
• Any letter that appears irrelevant will be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief and adviser for acceptance or rejection.
• The purpose of the editor’s note shall be to correct inaccuracies to questions or requests for information. Editor’s notes shall be brief.
