After 127 years, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian drafted this mission statement: As an independent student-run newspaper and a responsible press, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian strives to be an unbiased source of truths in order to hold itself and other institutions accountable. We have a responsibility to portray a broad range of voices and to create a public platform for both criticism and compromise. Through nuanced, inquisitive journalistic practices, we hope to learn, to educate and to engage the greater community.

The statement articulates the goals and objectives of our institution. In the three sentences above, we want to convey what it means to be an independent newspaper within a university.

Now we want to move forward with clearly defined values that provide a path for decision-making that unifies our newsroom and community. They are simultaneously the starting point, the reference point and the end point of all work published by The Collegian.

As a responsible press, we have an obligation to remain unbiased in our coverage. We recognize that a multitude of sides make up the whole of any story and we aim to present them in a way that reflects various angles, encouraging our readers to decide their truths.

We strive to be detail-oriented, to report on stories and issues in their entirety. Our own independence from the University affords us both the right and obligation to be critical of campus administration, the institutions of our community and The Collegian itself. We aren’t afraid to ask the hard questions and make people uncomfortable to get the answers the public deserves.

Every day we are learning more about the campus and surrounding area, working to efficiently and effectively inform readers. The Daily Collegian serves not just the UMass campus, but also the greater Pioneer Valley and as a result, we must reflect the voices of these communities. We welcome everyone who would like to write, photograph or record video about any subject and who strives to find opposing views. We consider ourselves an open forum for discussion, criticism and debate.

Last semester, we published an editorial called “It’s time to join the conversation” where we committed to covering topics that unfortunately get sidelined despite their significance. This mission statement is an extension of the commitment we made, as this is our first step in opening up these difficult, but necessary, conversations. We understand that this is difficult work, and that it never truly ends, but we pledge to you and to ourselves to continue to grow and self-reflect as we move forward.

Ultimately, we are your resource. We are here to bring coverage and awareness to subjects that matter. We are here to hold ourselves accountable and to be held accountable by others. We have a duty to serve our community’s needs, as this is what our readers deserve.

This unsigned editorial represents the majority opinion of The Massachusetts Daily Collegian Editorial Board, members of which can be reached at [email protected].