In honor of the 137th anniversary of the continuous publication of The Phillipian on October 19, 2015, we are publishing our Charter as this week’s editorial.
The Phillipian Charter was established in 2003, when the 126th editorial board of the paper decided to combine its 1955 publication code with the Quill and Scroll Foundation’s Student Press Rights Position.
Representatives from The Phillipian met with a committee of faculty members and representatives from other student publications to etablish the 1955 code, soon after the paper became an officially uncensored newspaper. The code was to “serve as editorial guideposts for the respective communications,” according to an article in The Phillipian vol. LXXIX, no. 21. The code, however, was not officially published in The Phillipian until 1965.
The Phillipian operates on the following principles.
The Phillipian strives to maintain professional standards of accuracy, objectivity and fairness at all times.
Staff members have the right to report on and editorialize about all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial.
The Phillipian will not publish anything obscene, libelous or detrimental to the immediate material and physical stability of the school.
The paper shall not be subjected to prior restraint, review or censorship.
Staff members have the obligation to learn and observe the legal and ethical responsibilities expected of them as practicing journalists.
The Editor in Chief assumes total responsibility for her/his publication.
