The Signpost has been a silent observer of events over the last week, as is required by journalistic practice and fair reporting. However, the editorial board feels strongly about the issues that have been addressed and advocated for by the students, staff and faculty of color and their allies, and this is the editorial board’s opinion and position that we wished to share with the student body outside of reporting on the events happening on campus.

We stand with the students, staff and faculty of color on this campus who are fighting to be heard by the administration here and the academic leaders in the state in the face of the blatant racism seen on this campus and the microaggressions people of color face on a daily basis while simply existing in this academic space.

We stand with the students, faculty and staff who are not just fighting to be heard after this week’s cruel attack on the people of color on this campus but are fighting to be heard about issues arising from being in a world that hates them for simply being alive.

To the students, staff and faculty of color, we care for you, and we hear you. We want to amplify your voice, and we have, will and pledge to continue to be the voice of all students on this campus. We pledge to fairly represent your issues like they are our own. We pledge to extend empathy and not be apathetic to the issues faced by the people of color on this campus to the best of our abilities not just as journalists or as students, but as people.

We acknowledge that The Signpost and its staff have our own shortcomings and internal biases, and we pledge to improve ourselves and, from this moment forward, to be better allies of every group who faces discrimination by the student body or by the administration.

We pledge to continue to be the voice for those who cannot speak and to represent the underrepresented. We pledge to be fair and accurate reporters of events, issues and politics on and off campus. We pledge ourselves to shine a light on issues ignored by faculty, staff or students that should be public knowledge. We pledge ourselves to securing transparency on campus and in the community.

We ask students, staff, faculty and the community at large to bring concerns to us, whether in regards to campus issues or policies or our publication, so we can be the very best voice for the students we can be.

We sign our names to this as a promise to be listeners, reporters and, when necessary, advocates of the student body that we represent. We sign our names to this to promise to be the best we can be as a student paper.