Our decision to publish Roger Lott's most recent column, "Education on Credit," April 18, has come under fire from a number of community members this week. It is not the first of Lott's columns to generate controversy, and it will surely not be the last. Given the intensity of the response to this piece, however, we feel it is necessary to articulate our vision for this page.
The opinion section of this paper is intended to be an open forum for dialogue and debate. Our mission is to publish columns that challenge common conceptions, promote reflection and, ultimately, spark conversation among our readers. We look for interesting, original ideas and cogent, entertaining writing. We edit for grammar and style, and also work closely with writers to develop the substance of their arguments. With all columns, and especially those that we expect to be controversial, we ask writers to anticipate opposing viewpoints and encourage them to address counterarguments. A great deal of time and energy goes into each piece, and the final product, we hope, is a thoughtful, well-argued column.
To fill in the gaps that are inevitably created by a small opinion staff, we rely on guest columns and letters to the editor. Columns and letters are most likely to be published when they disagree with previously published opinions, but we welcome submissions on all topics. We do not evaluate submissions based on bias or ideology, but on the objective merit of their arguments. We take a guest columnist's credentials into consideration and are more likely to publish a submission from an individual or group with a history of involvement in a particular issue.
The only content in The Dartmouth that represents the views of its Editorial Board is the Verbum Ultimum. The Verbum is the collaborative effort of the Editorial Board, which is comprised of the editor-in-chief, executive editors, opinion editors and the publisher. We do not try to be a voice for all students. Rather, we are the voice of an organization dedicated to thinking and writing about relevant campus issues.
Most importantly, The Dartmouth does not have a political agenda that determines which opinions we print or which columnists we hire. As an independent publication, we are an ardent proponent of freedom of speech. Especially on a campus that prides itself on diverse intellectual discourse, we strive to promote that right.
It is never our intention to offend members of the Dartmouth community. However, in the process of publishing perspectives that are different from mainstream campus ideologies, it is inevitable that some will disagree with the opinions voiced on this page.
As journalists and Dartmouth students, we wholeheartedly try to preserve our peers' freedom of expression. We hope you will continue to respect their opinions and respond to them with your own.
