Purpose

This policy establishes a consistent process for responding to requests to remove or alter content published on News Port. It is designed to balance student rights, journalistic standards and legal obligations.

Scope

This policy applies to all content published on News Port, including student-produced stories, multimedia and associated materials.

Guiding Principles

• News Port operates as a journalistic publication and educational newsroom.
• Published content is part of the public record.
• Accuracy, transparency and accountability guide all editorial decisions.
• Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, not automatically granted.

Submission of Requests

Students or former students may submit a takedown or modification request in writing to nmnewsport@gmail.com. Requests must include:

• The specific content in question (URL or title)
• The reason for the request
• Any supporting documentation, if applicable

Grounds for Review

Requests will be considered under the following circumstances:

• Legal concerns: credible claims involving privacy, defamation, or compliance with other laws
• Safety concerns: risk of harm to the student or others
• Substantial factual error: verified inaccuracies that materially affect the story
• Ethical considerations: situations that raise significant concerns under journalistic ethics standards

Requests based solely on embarrassment, regret, or reputational preference are generally not sufficient for removal.

Review Process

The faculty editor (or designated editorial authority) will review the request.

Additional consultation may occur with university counsel or relevant experts if needed.

A decision will be made within a reasonable timeframe.

Possible Outcomes

• No action: Content remains unchanged.
• Correction or update: Factual errors are corrected with a transparent editor’s note.
• Partial modification: limited changes (for example, removal of personal information). 
• Removal: Content is taken down in the rare case that it’s justified. When content is removed, News Port may retain an internal record of the original publication for academic and legal purposes.

Documentation

All requests and decisions will be documented and retained for record-keeping and accountability.

Relationship to Academic and Editorial Policy

Publication on News Port is part of course-related work submitted through Canvas and published with student consent. Editorial control rests with faculty editors, consistent with professional newsroom standards. This policy does not override academic grading or evaluation processes.

Policy Review

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in law, university policy, or journalistic standards.