Dear Covenant Community,
First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to all who read and contribute to The Bagpipe. It's fun to be out and about around campus and watch you pick up the paper and talk about it. We definitely would not be able to operate without the participation of both readers and writers alike. With that being said, I wanted to remind you all of a few things when it comes to writing for us.
We recognize that you may have a lot to say in your writing. However, due to layout limitations, we are looking for pieces that are 300-500 words long. If you are writing something that you feel needs more than 550 words, I'm happy to have a conversation with you about that. Some topics may need more words to properly be discussed.
We love when you submit pieces for any sections of the paper, however you must understand that we have standards for what can be published no matter what is being sent in. We will often request for writers to make changes to their work, which includes (but is not limited to) grammar corrections, phrasing that might paint any member of Covenant’s faculty, staff, student body, or affiliated organizations in negative light, absolute claims that have no factual support in opinion articles, subject matter that disparages any denominations outside of the PCA that students may be a part of, racism, or other harmful stereotypes.
I recognize that some may find this similar to censorship, but I assure you that it is not. Some of these guidelines come from Covenant’s handbook, or can even be applied to writing assignments you would submit for a class. Remember, The Bagpipe, although student run, still reflects Covenant. We publish both print and online, which can be damaging to both writers and the school in terms of digital footprint. Anyone can access the paper by picking it up on campus or finding our website. We want your work to be read, but we also want your voice to be well represented in what you’ve written for us.
Please know that we have your best interest in mind during our editing process. Each piece is looked over by four staff editors and a faculty member before being published online, so bear that in mind as you submit pieces. There is often a good reason your piece may be changed before publication. I am also always happy to meet with you during the editing process if you feel that our suggestions are unfair. My goal as Editor in Chief is to help both my staff and the students who contribute to The Bagpipe learn proper journalistic ethics and style in writing, which I learned from some of the top Christian journalists in the business.
I ask for your trust and respect for our process, because by submitting a piece to us, you are entering your work into our process. If you are unwilling to accept our edits, we will understand if you don’t want us to publish your piece. We also do not make a habit of publishing Anonymous pieces because we value accountability in writing.
I hope this is helpful for anyone who may have concerns about their submissions. Go Scots, and Happy Reading!
Blessings,
Tyneisha Herring, The Bagpipe Editor-in-Chief ‘24-’25