About the Editorial Board
The Editorial Board — which operates independently of The Crimson’s newsroom — writes, solicits, and edits opinion content reflecting a range of perspectives and issues at Harvard. We accept op-ed and letter submissions from Harvard affiliates, publish biweekly columns, and produce our own staff editorials reflecting a majority vote of participating board members. More details can be found about each type of content below.
If you would like to join our team or have questions about our processes or membership, do not hesitate to email our leadership at editorial@thecrimson.com. No previous experience with journalism is necessary!
Staff Editorials
Staff editorials represent the majority view of the Editorial Board. Three times per week, the board meets to discuss the biggest campus issues of the moment and vote on a shared stance to be published under “The Crimson Editorial Board” byline. While we strive to find a meaningful consensus — that is inclusive of our varied perspectives and concerns — we often disagree. Occasionally, when the board is divided about the opinion expressed in a staff editorial, dissenting board members have the opportunity to write a dissent.
Op-Eds
Op-eds are individual opinion pieces authored by Harvard affiliates. They do not reflect the views of The Crimson's Editorial Board. The best op-eds contain strong and well-supported argumentative stances, unique angles on timely issues, and clear relevance to the Harvard community.
We welcome op-ed submissions from the entire Harvard community. With the rare exception of extenuating circumstances, op-ed authors must be affiliated with Harvard. Op-eds are evaluated at the discretion of the Op-eds Editors. They should be submitted via email to op-eds@thecrimson.com and should run between 650 and 850 words. Except in highly unusual cases, we require that op-eds be signed by one to three named individuals. We will not accept articles that have been authored under a pseudonym or by an organization as a whole; even for pieces with named individual authors, we will not accept articles that do not advance an argument beyond the mission statement of a given organization. Op-eds by non-Crimson writers may not include reported content such as interviews with other parties. We also will not accept op-eds that are explicitly written in response to previously published content; please see “Letters to the Editor” for pieces in response to our content.
Columns
The Crimson has several editorial columnists, who write bi-weekly columns. Though some columnists are also Crimson editors, most are not. In selecting columnists each semester, the Editorial Board attempts to select a broad range of themes and opinions. Columnists are asked to focus on a particular issue or theme. Common topics include Harvard undergraduate life, national politics, and personal identity. Harvard students interested in writing a column for The Crimson are encouraged to contact editorial@thecrimson.com before the start of a semester.
Letters to the Editor
The Editorial Board values responses to our published opinions and other Crimson content. Letters to the Editor must respond directly and explicitly to either an opinion piece recently published on the Editorial page, or else to The Crimson’s manner of coverage within any section of the newspaper. Letters that respond to the subject matter of a non-opinion Crimson article, rather than The Crimson’s coverage of that matter, will not be accepted.
Letters to the Editor are evaluated at the discretion of the Editorial Chairs. They should be submitted to editorial@thecrimson.com and should run between 350 and 550 words. We require Letters to the Editor to be signed by one to three named individuals, with the opportunity for a list of additional signers to appear hyperlinked in the piece. We do not accept Letters to the Editor from organizations or anonymous writers.
Corrections
The Harvard Crimson is committed to accuracy in its reporting. Should an editorial piece make a factual error or misrepresent the view of an individual or organization, please contact editorial@thecrimson.com, and we will publish a correction when circumstances warrant one.