These editorial standards guide the content published in the UNO News Center to ensure quality, accuracy, and alignment with the university’s mission, values, and strategic plan.
While the News Center is not an independent newsroom, it upholds professional principles of journalistic integrity, fairness, and accountability in all publication efforts.
The UNO Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications (MarComm) reserves the right to decline to publish, remove, or edit content that does not meet these standards.
Commitment to Accuracy and Integrity
- All published content must be factually accurate, clearly sourced (with links, citations, etc.), and thoroughly vetted.
- Content creators strive to verify facts, correct errors promptly, and ensure clarity in language and tone.
- Content should reflect the highest standards of accuracy and integrity without plagiarism or distortion and omission of key context.
Mission-Aligned Content Standards
- All content must align with the university’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
- This does not preclude the inclusion of challenging, thought-provoking, or nuanced topics, but those must be presented responsibly and in alignment with the institution's public trust.
Transparency and Accountability
- Corrections or clarifications will be made promptly when factual errors are discovered.
- When content is edited or removed for any reason, especially after publication, a brief note may be added to explain the change where appropriate.
- Non-university contributors must disclose potential conflicts of interest related to the content’s topic or its sources.
Respect and Fairness
- The News Center will strive to represent faculty, students, staff, alumni, and external partners fairly and respectfully.
- Individuals featured in stories will be given an opportunity to review their stories in full for accuracy in tone and content, though editorial decisions remain with the communications team.
- Individuals may decline to be featured in content or request removal at any time.
Privacy and Ethical Use of Information
- Content creators are expected to ensure that individuals featured in stories understand the purpose of the content and how their words or image will be used, especially when discussing personal or sensitive topics. This means securing clear, informed consent for activities that include, but are not limited to, recording interviews, publishing quotes, images, or personal information.
- Stories involving students, minors, or individuals in vulnerable situations will receive additional scrutiny to protect privacy.
- All stories featuring students must adhere to FERPA requirements.
- Information obtained from third-party sources must be verified and used with care.
Collaborative Review Process
- All content in the News Center must undergo some form of internal review process prior to publication, which may include review from colleagues, supervisors, communications leadership, subject matter experts, and, where needed, legal or executive review.
- This process ensures the content reflects institutional standards and protects the university’s reputation and public trust.
Educational and Strategic Purpose
- The News Center serves as both an information and storytelling platform and a tool to advance the university’s strategic communications efforts.
- Stories are chosen and crafted to inspire pride, inform audiences, attract support, and strengthen the university’s public image.
- The team embraces innovation in storytelling while upholding editorial excellence.