The Daily Orange has served the Syracuse University community since 1903, and today we ask our readers to support us. April 25 is Support Student Journalism Day, and The D.O. is proud to stand with news organizations across the United States to #SaveStudentNewsrooms.

Created by the University of Florida’s Independent Florida Alligator newspaper, the campaign highlights the increasing need for independent journalism on college campuses and educates community members about the challenges student-run newsrooms face.

Financial independence from universities allows journalists to produce the coverage students deserve — not what the university allows. Newsrooms operating under the leadership of the universities they cover receive funding as student organizations. But independent publications, including The D.O., are financially self-sufficient.

In the past week, The D.O. has led national coverage after publishing two videos from SU’s Theta Tau fraternity that ultimately led to its expulsion. The D.O.’s ability to cover the story and release the videos related to the expulsion can be attributed to its independence. All independent college newsrooms deserve that freedom, but many are struggling to maintain the funds necessary to preserve it.

Like many newsrooms, The D.O. faces its own challenges, including its move to a new office in the near future; its transition to a robust, digital-first advertising and editorial workflow; and the assurance that its work is financially sustainable. To support The D.O. so it can better serve the campus community, we ask readers to consider contributing to our 2017-18 campaign at dailyorange.com/donate.

The D.O.’s rigorous reporting didn’t begin with Theta Tau. On Tuesday, The D.O. was named best all-around daily student newspaper by the Society of Professional Journalists as a Region 1 Mark of Excellence winner, which builds on decades of its award-winning work. This excellence can be attributed to a culture of dedicated staffs that had the opportunity to grow themselves and others in an independent newsroom.

Today, and all days, The D.O. stands alongside student newsrooms across the country to promote the value of independent journalism and the impact it has on telling the stories that deserve to be told.

The press is free. Journalism isn’t. Support The D.O. here.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board serves as the voice of the organization and aims to contribute the perspectives of students to discussions that concern Syracuse University and the greater Syracuse community. The editorial board’s stances are determined by a majority of its members. You can read more about the editorial board here. Are you interested in pitching a topic for the editorial board to discuss? Email opinion@dailyorange.com.

Published on April 24, 2018 at 11:44 pm