Statements
General endorsement statement
The Highlander Editorial Board has elected to make no endorsements of any candidates running for any position in ASUCR in the 2017 elections. This is not a decision based on the assumption that candidates will laptop during this election. Rather, we refuse to endorse any candidate when the rules in place make it possible for one or more of these candidates to, without repercussion, influence the election via the unfair and coercive practice of laptopping. We furthermore emphasize that ASUCR take nothing less than a hard-line stance against laptopping in its elections policy to ensure that our student leaders are chosen fairly and that they truly represent the collective will of the student body.
Highlander Newspaper Revitalization Endorsement
This year’s elections week marks a monumental moment in the history of the Highlander Newspaper — UC Riverside’s independent student-run news source since 1954. Quite simply, a “No” vote on the Highlander Newspaper Revitalization could not only eliminate any form of journalism on campus for students interested in the field and students’ ability to get real, original news about the goings-on at their campus, but cease the existence of the publication itself permanently. A vote in favor of a $2.00 increase to the quarterly Highlander Fee (currently $2.00), however, will ensure that we can continue to operate, providing an outlet for any student interested in journalism, as well as photography, videography, design and marketing. In a world plagued by the specter of fake news, The Highlander is a critical bastion of the truth which is on the verge of being lost, unless you step up this elections season to support this institution.
