Scope
This policy applies to all UW System student press publications, including websites and
other electronic publication mediums, subsidized by university resources, and that are not
subject to editorial control by the UW System or any UW System institution.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures related to the responsibility for the
editorial content of student press publications.
Policy Statement
The following statement shall be carried in the masthead of all editions of those
newspapers, or on the main page of any news websites or other similar electronic news
distribution platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) (collectively “student
press publications”) prepared by and for the students of any University of Wisconsin
institution and subsidized by funds or facilities under jurisdiction of the University of
Wisconsin System or its institutions:
The (name of publication) is written and edited by students of the University of
Wisconsin (name of campus) and they are solely responsible for its editorial policy
and content.
Each UW Chancellor or his or her designee shall inform students who edit or write for a
student press publication subsidized by university resources of the legal responsibility for
the content of those publications.
Each UW Chancellor, or designee, shall also provide guidance to student press publications
subsidized by university resources describing best practices for managing liability, including
information regarding liability insurance for student publications.
Oversight, Roles, and Responsibilities
The UW Chancellor of each UW System institution is responsible for ensuring the institution
complies with this policy.
History: Res. 1066 (adopted 8/15/1975) rescinded Wisconsin State Universities resolutions 3629, 3694 and 3710; Res. 11372 (adopted 02/07/2020) amended RPD 30-2.