The Student Life (abbreviatedTSL)[5] is astudent newspaper covering theClaremont Colleges (7Cs, or 5Cs when referring only to the undergraduate colleges), a consortium of liberal arts colleges inClaremont, California. It is published weekly each Friday during the academic year, typically spans roughly ten pages per issue, and is primarily funded by the student governments of the colleges.[1]
The paper is the oldest college newspaper in Southern California, having been published since 1889.[3][6] It is also the largest and most widely distributed campus newspaper at the 5Cs, with a significant readership among students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the Claremont community.[1] It maintains a staff of around 130 students, including writers, columnists, photographers, videographers, designers, copy specialists, business associates, and editors.[2][7]
TSL operates out of Room 101 in Walker Hall on the northern portion ofPomona College's campus.[6]
TSL (historically abbreviated as "theSL") was founded in November 1889 (two years after the founding of Pomona College) as a four-page monthly called thePomona Student.[8][9][10] Initially an informal bulletin for campus happenings, it adopted its current name and moved to weekly publication in 1893.[11][12]
By 1926, it was publishing five issues a week; many were filled largely with advertisements.[13] In 1939, this was reduced to two issues per week to save money,[14] and in 1944, these issues became only two pages long to conserve paper duringWorld War II.[15] After the war, it gradually expanded, and in 1956, it returned to weekly publication.[16]
In 1965, it merged with other Claremont Colleges newspapers to form theClaremont Collegian, which covered all 5Cs, but it was revived two years later as a Pomona-only publication (except for a two-page weekly insert focusing on newly establishedPitzer College).[17]
Like other publications,TSL developed an increasingly robust digital presence in the 2000s and 2010s.[18]
TSL used to be closely linked with theAssociated Students of Pomona College, but moved to become increasingly independent.[citation needed] In 2008, it began shifting its focus to cover the entire consortium,[citation needed] and its coverage and staff makeup today reflect all 5Cs.
TSL has four primary sections that appear in each issue: News, Life & Style, Sports, and Opinions.
The News section appears at the front of the paper, and covers a range of campus politics, issues, and current events, and often includes investigative pieces. The content specifically focuses on the 5Cs and life on campus, and does not usually include coverage of national or international stories.
The Life & Style section includes feature stories on campus life, as well as a number of weekly or bi-weekly columns.TSL is well known for itssex column, which appears regularly and is credited to an anonymous author or pseudonym.[19]
The Opinions section includes opinions pieces by columnists and guest columnists, as well as editorials. The content in this section reflects a broad range of the ideological views found at the 5Cs, which tend (with the exception ofClaremont McKenna College) to lean strongly progressive compared to other college campuses.[citation needed]
Once a year, typically on the Friday nearest toApril Fools' Day,TSL releases a mock edition of the newspaper with funny articles and satirical news stories.[20]
TSL's office is located inside Walker Hall at Pomona College.
As the Claremont Colleges'paper of record,TSL has provided much of the original reporting for major events at the 5Cs throughout their history. In recent years,TSL's reporting has been frequently referenced by national media outlets reporting on campus controversies.[21][22][23][24][25]
In November 2015,TSL's reporting on racial tensions at Claremont McKenna College that led to the resignation of a dean of students was widely cited by national media outlets covering the episode.[26][27]
In March 2017,TSL leaked an internalHarvey Mudd College report which criticized the severe workload at the school.[28] The leak triggered widespread protests which led the college to cancel classes for two days.[29][30]
In April 2017,TSL's coverage of a blockade of a speech by conservative punditHeather Mac Donald (as well as the sanctions subsequently imposed on some blockaders) was widely cited by national media outlets.[31][32]
TSL's coverage has sometimes drawn criticism from conservative national media outlets, many of whom are fed stories by the conservative 5CClaremont Independent publication.[33][34][35][36] Following the 2015 racial tensions protest,Fox News criticizedTSL for providing a space specifically for students of color in an issue.[37]
TSL maintains a staff of around 120 students, including writers, columnists, photographers, videographers, designers, copy specialists, business associates, and editors.[2][7] The Claremont Colleges do not have a journalism major, so staff members come from a variety of academic backgrounds.[38]
The newspaper's editorial board is composed of aneditor-in-chief and twomanaging editors.[2] All three positions have a semester term. The editor-in-chief is selected by a committee generally composed of senior staff members.[citation needed]
ManyTSL alumni have gone on to have prominent journalism careers.Andrew Jaffe from Pomona's class of 1960, who traveled toNashville to cover thesit-in movement forTSL,[39] later became an executive atAdweek and oversaw theClio Awards.[40]Mary Schmich from Pomona's class of 1975, who co-edited the paper, won the 2012Pulitzer Prize for commentary for her columns in theChicago Tribune.[41][42] FormerNew York Times executive editor and Pulitzer winnerBill Keller from Pomona's class of 1970 edited theCollegian when he was in college[43] and maintains close ties withTSL's current staff.[44][45]
^These are theAssociated Students of Pomona College, the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College, Scripps Associated Students, the Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College, and the Pitzer Student Senate
^Vest, Patty; Wood, Mark; Hing, Jeff (May 27, 2020)."Backstories: Bill Keller '70".Pomona College Sagecast. Pomona College.Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. RetrievedAugust 26, 2020.
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