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Ihe Pho_enix Letter to the A fair policy to all Dear Editor Editor The women 01 first floor Rouzer are the best thing to happen to the dorm since Ward Street became an RA Thank you ladies! Provided in this publication is one of the most valuable elements of Kevin Brown In the past, all responsibly written letters to the editor were a newspaper. The section, titled "Letters to the Editor," is a service published unaltered and with the clOSing signature chosen by the intended for the free and responsible expression of the readership, It author. For example, the editor of this publication did not personally serves a very functional purpose and is estimated as one of the most approve of the manner which the author of the letter titled "Unfair Water tower leaks important sections of a newspijper among journalists protesscr'' expressed his opinion. Yet the editor did honor the previously Yet. there are misconceptions among some of the readership of prescribed policy and printed the letter much to his distaste Civil and this publication as to what is acceptable for publication in the editorial However, with deep regrets of the editor, this policy has been letters section. These misconceptions have led to the abuse of the open blatantly abused and will no longer endure. A new policy has been and trusting nature of the editorial letter policy in the past. prescribed and established, and abuses of this policy will not be uncivil There is a misconception that the editor of this publication is permitted nor tolerated. All letters addressed to the editor of this obligated to print all letters submitted to the editor and must justify a publication will be submitted in accordance with the following order decision to print, or not print, a letter in this section to the general guidelines college body. This is an inaccurate assumption. 'Letters will be typed on a 55 space margin line and double- The editor is also not obligated to give advance warning to any spaced between sentences Corey Mann party that is criticized in a published letter to the editor. Nor is the editor 'The author's name, campus address and year of graduation will For the past three years, I have obligated to interrogate or question any persons about their motivation accompany the letter, either on the top page of the letter or on a witnessed vandalism running rampant for submitting a letter . separate sheet of paper. The author's written signature will on this campus and it has driven me appear beneath this information. The author's name will be past the point of anger. There has to withheld by request come a time when something will be 'The author will personally deliver the letter to the office of the done and this foolishness will stop. I editor, located in the Student Offices Suite, when it can be am sick and tired of the immature received by an authorized agent of this publication components of this student body In the past, some individuals have chosen to address their editorial gOing time after time unrepremanded letters to the editor by personal name. The editor's personal biases and for their actions opinions oo' not determine the legitimacy of editorial letters. Henceforth, Certainly, it is true- that on given all letters to the editor will open with the common salutation, Dear occasions someone will" fry in Laid- Editor:. In closing, eu Jetters to the editor will be concluded with the law's office, but those cases are only author's name or the phrase, name withheld by request, depending the tip of childish iceberg that upon the author's preference. Pen names or slogans will not be printed floats freely at Western Maryland. The All letters to the editor will be subject to the review and editing of majority of cases go unreported for the editor. The content of all letters will be examined. and edited when one and a million cop outs deemed necessary, by the editor. The following unacceptable elements The whole point of this column is will be edited from all letters ocousnec: to relate an incident which occurred 'Obscene statements in the parking lot of Frock's last 'Libelous statements Thursday night during the Christmas 'Vehement attacks upon a person's character dance. The events I am referring to 'Unsubstantiated statements involve the vandalism of several stu- 'Incoherent content dents' automobiles. And for the life of 'Ungrammatical language usage. me. I can't figure out why. • 'Excessive letter length I mean, for instance. someone Any editorial letter that is not within the prescribed guidelines will broke the antenna off of Andy be edited at the discretion of the editor. Any letter that is considered to Chang's Datsun and it happens that be excessively divergent from the prescribed guidelines will not be the broken part is virtually unreplace- printed. unless prior arrangements have been approved by an able at a price of $150. This smacks authorized agent of the newspaper of the lowest form of life Indeed, some of the readership will consider these measures Andy has never done anything on hars!) and unjustified. However, this policy is very similar to the policies this campus to deserve this action. I prescribed by The Sun newspaper of Baltimore and The New Republic at first thought that it was perhaps an Both of these publications continually deal successfully with a vast attack on this newspaper of which diversity of editorial letters with such a policy. Andy is the photography editor. But Those who wish to discuss any aspect of the editorial letter policy that makes it more ridiculous. Why or decision conceming any specific letter, must meet with the editor by pick on a photo editor? appointment Ward Street and Adam Wright also It is believed that this policy will be the most equitable to both the were the targets of vandals. This publication and its readership makes no sense either. Unless you, of course, consider some recent TI1IO FASTE5T GU~ WEST OF T~[ over mixer receipts. But /JILt The Phoenix Editor .... Robert Holt Managing Editor ..... LesMartin News Editor . Help Wanted Sports Editor Rob McQuay Photo Editor .AndyChang Layout .CalhyBowes Cindy Wilcox, Diane Perry Paste-up ...... JeHFrazer Judy Mitnick Proofreading... Chris Soto, Melanie Clippinger, Deb Ratzburg Business Manager Jonathan Dickey Ad Manager .. Jeannine Railey Ad Artist Cindy Wilcox Typist .. Alice Krempasky Michele Everett Published by and for the students of Western Maryland College. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the staft or administration We welcome comments and/or suggestions. Please address all mail to The Phoenix, Box t, Western Maryland College, Westminster. Md 21157.