Rearguard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rearguard is a student newspaper at Portland State University, located in Portland, OR, that provides, as noted in its logo, "a monthly alternative" to the other publications on the PSU campus like the PSU Daily Vanguard and the PSU Spectator.
Although formally the Portland State University Rearguard, it is known simply as "the Rearguard."
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[edit] Political Views
Unlike the Daily Vanguard that comes out four times a week and handles more day-to-day news, the Rearguard only publishes on a monthly basis and is "a forum for an alternative viewpoint on local, national and international issues and is an advocacy publication for that viewpoint[1]." The paper unabashedly targets a radical, liberal audience, and most if not all of the writers on staff freely admit to these biases.
The paper often tackles local issues and has sponsored campus events such as inviting the director of the film Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Robert Greenwald, to campus for a movie screening and seminar.
[edit] Content
During the 05-06 school year, its 10th volume, the Rearguard covered topics such as economics of education, sustainability, security and art and activism, which were all student/staff written.
While the Rearguard's content isn't breaking news, it does, however, cover on campus topics that have seen little press or no press by the other PSU publications. In other cases, the Rearguard provides information that students might be unaware of. For example, the Rearguard wrote a lengthy piece about the campus security force at PSU, whose operations and policies are unknown to many students.
Most issues feature about 16 pages with one major theme, one or two cover stories and several columns: "Correctator," "Adventures in Technology," "Scene Dissent," among others. In addition, cartoons and event calendars are featured.
Josh Gross' "Correctator" column discusses the conflict between the Rearguard and the Portland Spectator, another student newspaper written by and for those with a conservative point of view. The column typically serves as a liberal point counter-point to articles featured in the Spectator using harsh language and mean-spirited generalities.
[edit] Staff
With a staff of just seven, the Rearguard has an editor, copy-editor, design editor, three writers and a cartoonist.
The staff members are paid a small stipend and can earn educational credit for their time.
The current editor is Josh Gross, and the faculty adviser is Judson Randall.
