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Campus News: Submission Guidelines

Writing Guidelines

Be accurate

All content must be proofread and checked by submitter for accuracy; public affairs does not fact-check. Please double-check the following:

• Dates and times
• Locations
• Spelling, especially of all names and buildings
• Pronouns
• Titles and class years

Be accessible

• Use clear and concise language.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms. (Consider whether someone new to Reed will understand.)
• Link text should be descriptive. Avoid “click here” and “learn more.” Instead, use “Learn more about the VOCES8 Holiday Concert.”
• Provide alt text for your photo: Two students stand under a tree on the Great Lawn waving at the camera.

Be scannable

• Put key information first.
• Keep paragraphs brief.
• Avoid exclamation points, multiple em-dashes, and ellipses, which can make text less easy to skim.
• Rely on language and structural elements (headings, bullets) rather than punctuation for emphasis.
• For announcements (non-events) that exceed 100 words, please contact us directly in addition to submitting the form. We'll help you explore options for your longer submission.

 Use links to maximize space

• Include only essential information, then link to full details or provide a contact person for more information.
  • Do not use “click here” for links; instead link descriptive language, like “visit our website to learn more.”
  • Our events software, , can be a good place to put more event information.

Be inclusive

• Use gender-neutral terms.
• Use the singular they, them, and theirs when a subject's gender is unspecified or when the individual has expressed a preference for gender-neutral pronouns.
• Use gender-neutral language for generic meaning: humankind instead of mankind, artificial or synthetic instead of manmade, etc.

Provide image if relevant

We welcome photo submissions; however not all can be used, and some stories may not include images due to the newsletter format.

• Submit high-resolution images (minimum 1200 x 675 pixels).
• Include photo credits and permissions.
• Provide descriptive alt text.
• Limit to one image.
• Designed text images are discouraged due to accessibility best practices.

Note on event promotion

In general, we do not include multiple promotions of a single event. For serial events, consider submitting one announcement that covers the entire series (if the series is year-long, you might divide this into two highlights, one for each semester). Include details about the frequency, duration, and how to stay informed. Link to the event listing for the complete series schedule, and include a contact person for questions.

Placement

Public affairs welcomes submissions for Campus News. While we aim to include as many submissions as possible, some content may not be featured due to space or strategic considerations. Submissions might not be included for the following reasons:

• Submission does not meet publication deadlines or guidelines for inclusion.
• Event will have passed before the distribution date.
• Announcement only applies to a single or small campus group.
• Story or event has been included in a previous edition.
• Information requires more context and word count than can be accommodated in the newsletter.
• Event’s audience is not primarily current students, faculty, and staff.
• Event is not local.

Public affairs sets the tone and direction of the newsletter by

• arranging stories and highlights;
• focusing on timely and relevant topics;
• striving for diversity and balance in coverage;
• developing content strategy and editorial standards for placement.