In the past couple of months, ASCC Senate has been engaging in discussion about the Student Affairs Assistant positions filled by ASCC President Miles Aiello and former Vice President Charles Caguioa.
Covering this issue as a school paper has been difficult and not without its hiccups along the road. With that being said, there have been complaints from both sides of said issue.
The main issue is one of impartiality. As a journalistic entity, it is our job to report the truth, especially in politics.
While this is the ideal that Talon Marks strives for, it is not an easy goal.
Whatever the Talon Marks staff may report on, so long as it is the truth, it will report it without taking sides and not everyone can deal with that. Impartiality can be an abstract concept to some.
We follow a code of ethics to make sure that we don’t publish things with the intent to harm someone or someone’s reputation.
That means that no one on campus can tell us what or how to report on something, especially if it is to fit an individual’s agenda.
We can’t have students or staff telling us to write something a certain way to discredit someone.
So as long as these two maxims are not violated and it is the truth, then we will report on that issue.
We are not just reporters, but we are also students with our own opinions, but those opinions don’t necessarily represent Talon Marks as a newspaper.
As we say in the newsroom, “If everyone hates us, we’re doing our job right.”
On a more personal note, because of my friendship with members of The Social Equality Club, I have been associated with the group and deemed a member.
That is not true and I hope to avoid any animosity because of this. While not a member, I have helped them copy-edit a few newsletters, but as far as my own political leaning, there is none.
I want to make it clear that I have not taken sides and neither has Talon Marks, contrary to some rumors.
Mistakes can and have been made and because of those misconceptions, it might seem that Talon Marks supports one side, but it doesn’t.
Such mistakes are always fixed as soon as possible and that is how we learn to sharpen our craft of journalism, by learning from our mistakes.
My goal for Talon Marks is for it to be taken seriously as a newspaper, with accuracy, truth and impartiality. That is what we strive for.
