Dear students, faculty, staff, alums and all members of the Williams community,

We at the Record have been doing a lot of thinking about our mission in light of the College’s decision to switch to remote learning.

This is an unprecedented time both for Williams and the world at large, and the past few days have been difficult for all of us. Students, particularly those who are international, first generation or low income, have had to navigate deep personal and academic uncertainty, while faculty and staff ponder the shape that their jobs will take over the coming months. 

We believe it is critical to continue sharing our community’s stories. In doing so, we will seek to shine a spotlight on both the physical campus and the dispersed Williams community. We plan to report ethically and compassionately, both with the knowledge of our shared struggles and with the consistent goal of faithful and accurate journalism. As we continue to publish, we welcome any questions, comments or concerns regarding our coverage.

Of course, our publication will look different, given the profound changes to our mode of  operation. It is unlikely that we will release a print edition of the Record until classes resume on campus. In the meantime, we will publish our articles online, and will release them whenever they become available rather than solely on Wednesdays. Readers can find out about new articles on our social media pages and our newsletter. The breadth of our coverage, too, will change; we may not publish as many arts or sports pieces, instead refocusing around news, opinions and features articles centered on the pandemic and those affected on- and off- campus.

Though we no longer share a campus, we remain a community.

Stay safe, and please try to keep a distance of six feet when interacting with others.

All the best,

Samuel Wolf ’21

Editor-In-Chief