This fall, we are returning to (or, for newer members of the community, experiencing for the first time) a Williams that is more different than ever. The College has spearheaded the nation’s first all-grant financial aid program; eliminated the swim test requirement due to its disparate impact on students from underrepresented backgrounds; and allowed for the creation of Black, international, interfaith, and sustainable living affinity houses — all within the last two years. 

In other respects, however, we are striving toward a campus community that looks more like the pre-pandemic past than it has in years. 

In the same way, we at the Record seek to renew and uphold the values that we have always pursued, in addition to driving forward new progress — because the work is never done. We are committed to fair, inclusive, and incisive reporting: that which celebrates the aspects of Williams and Williamstown of which we are proud and also pushes the community to act on the things it must improve. 

We will continue to report on the lingering effects of the pandemic as the public health situation remains in flux. We will keep seeking to uncover important aspects of the College’s institutional history and present-day dynamics with our investigations and archives editors. We hope to expand upon our existing coverage of the experiences of marginalized communities on campus through the efforts of our Race, Privilege, and Identity reporting team. 

We are also excited to push forward a new project this year — a virtual intercollegiate journalism conference co-hosted by the NESCAC schools and open to the public. Because we all have much to learn from each other, we plan to leverage our shared experiences, educate ourselves on how other papers approach their missions, and implement new processes to make our work even better. 

Above all, we pledge to deliver good, true, and important stories in service to the community. 

To help us reach this goal, we rely on your feedback. Students, staff, faculty, alums, and Williamstown residents: If you ever take issue with an aspect of our reporting, please let us know by emailing a member of the editorial board. We are a human organization run by full-time students, and we recognize the possibility of errors and misjudgements, even as we strive to overcome them. 

If you have a story idea that you would like us to cover, reach out to an editor or use the anonymous tip line on our website. If you wish to share your opinion directly with the community, submit an op-ed or write a letter to the editor. We value your voices, and we trust you to hold us accountable. 

I am proud of the role that the Record has played in keeping the community informed and elevating voices that need to be heard, and I am grateful to have had the chance to work alongside the many wonderful people that make it possible. I look forward to all the new developments that will accompany this year. 

Sincerely yours, 

Annie Lu ’23 

Editor-in-Chief 

[email protected]