A Note From the Editors

Dear SMU Community,

The goal of journalism is to always report the truth no matter what it may unveil. Here at The Daily Campus, we hold ourselves to the same expectation and are committed to providing you truth in our reporting, no matter the time or the circumstance.

This edition of The DC is unique because we are not only bringing light to the forward-thinking students and dynamic experiences, we are also holding up a mirror and evaluating parts of SMU’s historical past.

Whether good, bad or indifferent, recognizing the past is absolutely necessary so we can make intentional changes to improve campus moving forward. This issue is meant to spark conversation and enlightenment among readers as to how we can continue to make progress.

Through countless hours of research, some spent on the third floor of Fondren Library looking through university archives, some spent looking through digitized archives online and numerous phone calls connecting with past and present SMU community members, we saw SMU’s imperfect history and our own. During our research, we discovered that past editions of The Daily Campus newspaper and previous reporters and journalism students contributed to SMU’s checkered and complicated past.

However, it is essential to recognize the past to prompt healthy discussions on what changes and needs should be implemented to continue to improve as a university. We hope that while we are critical of past mistakes, we also recognize they were products of their time and that we are committed to moving forward together. Our goal is to provide readers with an honest look into the background of SMU’s past, an evaluation of how far we’ve come, as well as an honest look at where we are today and where we are headed.

We sincerely hope that The Daily Campus is not only a place where students can go to learn the truth, but also a place where they feel represented and seen. That is why anyone can submit a story, a news tip or a suggestion to our organization, not just journalism students.

We are open to every experience and voice that is on this campus, and we hope that this issue reflects our commitment to showcasing all student experiences.

Thank you to the journalism and human rights students who contributed to the reporting, editing and research for this special report: Anna Taglioli, Shelby Geist, Bri Flores and Jordyn Harrell. Special thanks to Joan Gosnell, university archivist, whose knowledge about SMU was integral to this story.

Thank you for reading and supporting student journalism.

Catie George and Brey Sands Editor-in-Chief &