The Santa Clara is committed to preserving its published work as a historical record of Santa Clara University and its surrounding community. As the university’s student newspaper and a source of record for campus news, TSC seeks to accurately document events, maintain public access to its reporting, and treat sources and subjects fairly. Previously published material will not ordinarily be removed solely because it has become controversial, unfavorable to a subject, or no longer reflects an individual’s views.

Article Removal: Previously published news articles, features, interviews, photographs and other factual reporting will generally remain accessible in the newspaper’s archives. TSC is unlikely to remove material that accurately documents a public or well-documented event or incident; accurately represents statements made on the record; concerns public figures who spoke freely to the publication; or contains information voluntarily provided to TSC staff for publication, including material published under an agreed-upon pseudonym. A subject’s disagreement with an article, a source’s regret over participating in an interview, a writer’s dissatisfaction with previously published work, or changes in an individual’s circumstances do not, on their own, justify removal. Similarly, an article’s age or unfavorable portrayal of a subject does not warrant its removal. When information becomes outdated or circumstances change, TSC may add an update, editor’s note or follow-up story to provide context while preserving the original reporting. For example, an article reporting an arrest may be supplemented with the outcome of a trial or the dismissal of charges. Such developments do not automatically invalidate accurate reporting of the original event.

Opinion Pieces: Authors may request the removal of previously published opinion columns, guest essays or other pieces expressing their views if the material no longer reflects their current positions. Requests will be reviewed individually and are not automatically granted. The newspaper retains final editorial discretion over whether to remove a piece, preserve it with an explanatory note or offer the author an opportunity to publish a response.

Corrections and Retractions: Verified factual errors will be corrected promptly and transparently, with an appropriate correction or editor’s note when warranted. TSC may revise or clarify portions of a story that are factually incorrect or misleading without removing the entire article. A retraction may be considered when serious factual errors or reporting failures undermine the fundamental accuracy of a published work and cannot be adequately remedied through a correction. In rare cases in which an entire story is determined to be grossly inaccurate, TSC may consider removing it from publication. Disagreement with an article’s conclusions, source or writer remorse, and subsequent changes in circumstances do not independently justify a retraction.

Exceptional Circumstances: Removal or modification may be considered when significant safety risks, serious privacy concerns, legal obligations or other extraordinary circumstances substantially outweigh the public interest in preserving the material. Such circumstances may include credible threats of violence, stalking or other situations in which continued publication presents a substantial risk to the health or safety of a source, subject, staff member or contributor. Requests will be assessed individually, and the newspaper may determine that a correction, editor’s note, limited redaction or other modification is more appropriate than removing an entire article. A request based on safety or privacy concerns does not guarantee removal, but such concerns will be evaluated on their individual merits.

Review and Editorial Authority: Requests must be submitted to the editorial staff and should identify the material, the requested action and the reasons supporting the request. The editor-in-chief or a designated editor will review each request based on the merits of the case, this policy, the accuracy of the material, the circumstances of its publication, subsequent developments, potential risks to individuals and the public interest. When practical, the reviewing editor may consult the media advisor and the editors or writers responsible for the original reporting. Decisions should be made consistently and without undue influence from personal preferences or external pressure. Requests involving a potential conflict of interest, including requests concerning an editor’s own work, must be referred to another designated editor for independent review. All requests to remove previously published material are governed by this policy, regardless of how the request is submitted.

As a student-run publication, The Santa Clara experiences regular changes in editorial leadership. Such transitions do not, by themselves, justify removing or altering previously published work. The newspaper’s archives belong to its institutional record, not to any single editor or editorial administration. Changes to this policy should be documented and should not serve as grounds for arbitrarily altering the historical record.

The newspaper retains final editorial authority over its published material and will strive to handle all requests fairly, consistently and transparently, balancing its responsibility to preserve an accurate historical record with its commitment to responsible journalism and the well-being of its community.