The most valuable part of the opinion department is its ability to facilitate change and provide a platform for all people. It is more than just stating beliefs — opinion writing is about encouraging dialogue and pushing for progress. When state and federal legislation threatens academic freedom, the opinion department must strive to protect its students by holding the University and government accountable and become a catalyst for change.
The state legislature seeks to undermine the rights of the UT community, from Senate Bill 17’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion to its repeated attempts to ban faculty tenure. Attempts to censor discussions on race, gender and culture in classrooms diminish academic freedom. It is imperative that UT remain a place where students and faculty can engage in meaningful discourse without fear of retaliation.
When the University cannot protect its students, the Daily Texan must step up.
As a columnist, I urged the administration to protect free speech, pay their faculty a living wage and consider social responsibility in their investments. As editor-in-chief, I will continue to prioritize accountability and advocate for the rights of students.
A student body as vast as ours contains a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and our coverage must reflect this. The Texan serves the entire University, which means it should amplify all student voices. Dissenting opinions will help the opinion department achieve more well-rounded reporting.
As editor-in-chief, I will actively seek to hire staff with a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. I will not back down from controversy and instead seek to stimulate open conversation. By helping develop the next generation of writers, I can foster a department that welcomes the respectful exchange of ideas.
I know that my candidacy comes during a time of political uncertainty, both statewide and nationally. Additionally, I know that trust in journalism is at a record low, and misinformation runs rampant. However, I do not intend to shy away from these difficulties. In fact, I welcome this challenge as an opportunity to defend student journalism and its ability to advocate for the campus community.
While I am proud of the work the opinion department currently does, I know we can be better. There is a large extent of the student body whose voices go unheard. As editor-in-chief, I intend to change that. I am committed to upholding the highest standards of reporting, embracing debate and uplifting the voices of all community members.
Saunders is a journalism and government sophomore from Wheaton, Illinois.
