How we find opinions
This is the first of four posts in which Spec Opinion explains how we receive, edit, and choose outside submissions for publication. Look out for the next three in the coming week.
The editorial page, otherwise known as the opinion page, prints four types of content: staff editorials, regular columns, op-eds, and letters to the editor.
Staff editorials are written by Spectator’s editorial board. The editorial board is different from the managing board. Most of the members on the editorial board are not editors—their sole responsibility is to determine the official editorial (opinion) voice of the paper.
Regular columns are written by 14 editorial writers who are chosen at the beginning of every semester. Their columns are published every fortnight.
An op-ed is an opinionated piece historically written by an author not affiliated with the newspaper and printed op(posite the) ed(itorial page). We accept op-eds on any topic relevant to the Columbia University and Morningside Heights community. Spectator op-eds are roughly 650 words in length.
We also accept letters to the editor, which must refer to an article from Spectator, The Eye, or a Spectrum post. They are no longer than 350 words.
In the next three posts of this series, we will discuss how op-eds and letters to the editor are edited, chosen, and published at Spectator.
In the meantime, if you wish to submit an op-ed or a letter to the editor, contact us at opinion@columbiaspectator.com.
See this list of guidelines to understand more about our op-eds.
If you’re interested in writing for the editorial page, click here to share your contact information. We will contact you with more details. There’s no commitment required by signing up.
who is on the editorial board? i can never figure that out
The members of the editorial board are listed on the masthead of the print version of Spectator. In addition to editorial board members, the editor in chief, managing editor, and editorial page editors also sit on the board.
Lanbo Zhang, Editorial Page Editor
Alternatively
Acquire your paper copy of the spec, turn to page 6, and turn the paper upside down. DO NOT FORGET TO TURN THE PAPER UPSIDE DOWN. There, you will find a map. Again, turn the paper upside down to calibrate the map’s compass. Follow the dotted line to NoCo. IF YOU FORGET TO TURN THE PAPER UPSIDE DOWN, YOU WILL END UP AT SOCO, WHICH IS BAD. I REPEAT, SOCO IS BAD.
At NoCo, go to the library and turn on one of those huge macs
IT HAS TO BE A HUGE MAC. BIG HUGE MAC.
Go to columbiaspectator.com and search for the names of the editorial board members
HA joke’s on you– the names are nowhere to be found on the website!
y u no post on website??!
This should not be a 4 part Spectrum series. Nor should it be a 3 part Spectrum series. Nor a 2 part series. Just create a page on the website that explains all of this in one shot.
Three dislikes? Lanbo, Andrea, and who else? WHO ELSE
me!
Not actually me! But feel free to send suggestions to editor@columbiaspectator.com.
-Sarah
Maggie, do we have a fourth?
Nope, but with that comment, you may just have earned an upvote.
—Maggie
Take a long ook at the illustration on this post (top left).
If you go to SOCO, THAT GIRL WILL FIND YOU with ONE EYE shut and SOME STRING in HER MOUTH.
BAD THINGS happen to GOOD PEOPLE at SOCO because THAT GIRL will get you with HER STRING.
HER STRING will get YOU
And above her head (in the illustration) it says “So Many Opinions”
That girl has one opinion:
TO KILL YOU
DO NOT GO TO SOCO
Spect-haters UNITE against these PINKOS!!!!
share your opininos with SPECSUCKS!
Hello I am from spectrum STAFF and I even admit that specsucks is a better place to voice ur opinions than our terrible news paper.
(THIS IS A JOKE U IDIOTS OF COURSE I AM NOT ACTUALLY SPEC STAFF)
Thank you for these wise words of praise for our divinely sanctioned cause. Obviously, no one cares about the opinions about the opinons of the spec, so we are taking the liberty to smear tacos on copies of the spec and distribute them to unsuspecting hunkerin’ badasses like us. specsucks.wordpress.com
The Masked Fish Wrap WEARS A MASK AND wraps fish, thus HE MUST NOT BE TRUSTED
HE WRAPS FISH. AND SMEARS THEM.
In movies like the DAY AFTER TOMORROW and I AM LEGEND, they did NOT go to SOCO, so neither should you. THEY took refuge in BUNKERS UNDERGROUND.
THERE IS ONLY ONE LEGEND and it is WILL SMITH.
RUN.