How the Student Press Report operates

  • The Student Press Report is a national news desk covering issues in student media and college journalism.

    Launched in February 2026 and led by Barbara Allen, a trainer and consultant in student media and college journalism education, the Student Press Report is staffed by a network of freelancers, student journalists, and industry thought leaders to provide timely and in-depth coverage of issues facing student media, college journalists, and collegiate journalism education.

  • Through robust weekly journalism, the Student Press Report is designed to enlighten professional journalists,  philanthropists, educators and students about the state of student journalism today: its successes, challenges and critical role in shaping the future of media.

    How you can help:

    We want our reporting to reach the widest possible audience. Republication amplifies our impact and serves our mission. This section outlays cross-publication rules.

    REPUBLICATION TERMS

    What we offer:

    • Free republication: With attribution, all Student Press Report stories can be freely shared.

    • Advance notice: Our publication partners will get a thee-day heads-up when stories are ready to publish (email bob@collegejournalism.org to be considered for one of our publication partnerships).

    • Easy transfer: You will be given access to a Google Drive where the stories and visual elements are housed. Just copy and paste our content.

    • No exclusivity: Multiple outlets can republish the same story.

    • No approval needed: Once you're a partner, republish freely.

    What we ask:

    1. Attribution: Clear original author byline/credit and "Originally published as part of the Student Press Report" with link back to original publication at CollegeJournalism.org

    2. No changes: Republish in full with no edits (headlines can be changed for style/space)

    3. Notification: Let us know when you've republished with a link to your story (helps us track reach)

    Optional but appreciated:

    • Tag us on social media when you share

    • Include a brief note about The Student Press Report (we'll provide boilerplate text)

    • Send feedback that might help advance our mission to bob@collegejournalism.org

  • The Student Press Report is committed to independent, ethical coverage of student media and collegiate journalism. Our editor, Barbara Allen, also provides consulting, training and contract services to universities and student media organizations. We believe this expertise strengthens our coverage, but we maintain clear boundaries to preserve editorial integrity. We will disclose relevant relationships in our journalism. 

    Editorial decisions are made based on newsworthiness and value to our audience. Funders and partners are routinely asked to contribute to story selection, and may be called upon to help with framing considerations and sourcing. Ultimately, however, editor Barbara Allen is responsible for making editorial decisions. 

    If you have questions about our editorial practices or potential conflicts, contact us at bob@collegejournalism.org. We take these matters seriously and welcome feedback.

  • The Student Press Report covers student media and collegiate journalism across the country. Each week, we  publish reported stories and first-person columns that have relevance and impact for student journalists, advisers, professors and others in journalism higher education, as well as professional journalists and journalism funders.

    We welcome pitches for:

    • Success stories in student media — Innovative approaches, interesting projects or initiatives making student media stronger.

    • Covering crises — Challenges facing student journalists, press freedom issues, funding threats, or institutional conflicts (and their potential solutions).

    • First-person essays — Reflections on experiences in student journalism (from current students, advisers, or alumni) in the classroom or newsroom.

    Our scope includes college newspapers, TV broadcasts, podcasts, college radio, other digital media and journalism education. 

    How to pitch

    Send your pitch to bob@collegejournalism.org with “PITCH:” and your topic in the subject line.

    Include:

    • A brief summary of your idea (2-3 sentences), including whether this would be a reported, third-person story or a first-person column.

    • One sentence on why this is relevant and impactful to student media and college journalism now.

    • If it’s not clear, a sentence about your connection to the topic or your relevant expertise/interest.

    • Any sources you've already identified.

    • Estimated word count and timeline.

    What to expect

    We review pitches on a rolling basis and aim to respond within two business days. If we're interested, we'll follow up to discuss.

    Rates, deadlines and contract details are discussed upon assignment.

    Please note

    We maintain editorial independence and make all final decisions on coverage. If you have a conflict of interest related to your pitch, please disclose it upfront.

    Questions? Contact Barbara Allen at bob@collegejournalism.org.


  • The Student Press Report AI Ethics Policy

    Adapted from Poynter Institute's AI Ethics Guidelines Starter Kit
    Established January 2026

    Overview

    The Campus Press Report uses artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency in discovering and curating student journalism. However, all editorial content — reporting, writing and analysis — is created by human journalists. This policy establishes clear boundaries for AI use in our work and applies to all staff, freelancers and contributors.

    Core Principles

    Transparency
    When we use AI tools in ways that directly affect published content, we will disclose that use to our audience with specificity about what the tool does and why we're using it.

    Human Journalism
    All reporting, writing and editorial decision-making is performed by humans (mostly journalists). AI tools may assist with routine tasks, but never replace human judgment, verification or storytelling.

    Accuracy and Verification
    Any information that passes through AI tools must be verified by a human journalist before publication. We maintain our standards of accuracy regardless of what tools we use.

    Privacy and Security
    We will not enter sensitive or identifying information about sources, audience members or staff into generative AI tools. We protect the confidentiality of our journalistic relationships.

    Accountability
    The Campus Press Report takes full responsibility for all published content, regardless of what tools were used in its creation. Barbara Allen serves as the point person for all questions about AI use.

    Our AI Use

    Story Discovery Tool
    The Campus Press Report operates a proprietary web scraping system that monitors thousands of student newspaper articles daily. We use AI summarization to help identify noteworthy stories for human review and curation. This tool helps us discover content; it does not create content.

    Approved Uses
    AI tools may be used for:

    • Transcription of interviews (subject to human review and verification against recordings)

    • Research assistance and summarizing source documents

    • Data analysis and pattern identification

    • Translation of source material for research purposes

    • Routine administrative tasks

    • Illustrating issues when photography/photojournalism is unattainable or cost prohibitive.

    Prohibited Uses
     AI tools may NOT be used for:

    • Writing or rewriting body text of articles

    • Generating quotes or paraphrasing sources

    • Creating writing content that will be published under a byline

    • Making editorial decisions about story angles, framing or newsworthiness

    • Any use that would compromise source confidentiality

    • Illustrating breaking news or depicting real events

    Freelancer and Contributor Guidelines

    All freelancers and contributors must:

    • Write all article text themselves without AI assistance

    • Verify all facts through traditional reporting methods

    • Disclose to the editor if AI tools were used for any permitted purpose (research, transcription, etc.)

    • Not use AI tools in ways that would compromise source relationships or confidentiality

    Freelancers may use AI tools for:

    • Transcribing their own interviews

    • Research and background reading

    • Organizing notes and research materials

    Violations of this policy may result in rejection of work, non-payment or termination of the freelance relationship.

    Disclosure Standards

    We will disclose AI use when:

    • AI tools directly contributed to published content in a substantial way

    • The use would not be obvious to a reasonable reader

    • Transparency would help readers understand our process

    We will not routinely disclose:

    • Use of AI for internal discovery and curation

    • Transcription services used in the reporting process

    • Research assistance that does not appear in the final article

    Disclosures will be clear, specific and educational — explaining what the tool did and why we used it.

    Policy Updates

    This policy will be reviewed and updated as needed to reflect evolving AI capabilities and journalistic best practices. The current version is maintained by Barbara Allen and is available to all funders, partners and freelancers.

    Questions about this policy?
    Contact Barbara Allen at bob@collegejournalism.org

    This policy was developed with reference to the Poynter Institute's AI Ethics Guidelines Starter Kit and reflects the specific operational context of The Campus Press Report.