Archive, Retention and Retraction Policies

The Tripod Archives

The Trinity College Raether Library and the Watkinson Library have compiled an extensive online archive of The Trinity Tripod, spanning from 1904 to the present day. All weekly issues are digitized in PDF format and generally made available within the week. The search feature of the archives is helpful in looking for specific authors, titles, or topics and can be organized by year. The archives for the present semester can be found below and archives for all previous semesters can be found here.

There is a gap in weekly print issues in Volume CXV, which began March 16 as a result of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The Tripod continued to publish online for the spring semester and during the summer for the first time in its history. As of September 2020, the Tripod has resumed its regular print edition schedule for Volume CXVI. A complete list of articles that did not appear in print is available here.

If you notice an error in the archives or find that an issue is missing, please contact the Tripod directly at tripod@trincoll.edu.

The records of this website (trinitytripod.com) cover the recent history of the Tripod, but do not necessarily contain every article that has been published. The majority of the articles that appear in each Tuesday print issue are produced online on the same date of the issue. It is the policy of the Tripod to upload all major text-based content and the Tripod will not withhold a story from online publication if it appears in print. NB: However, certain graphics with complicated print-only formats, at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief, may not appear on the website.

If you are having trouble finding an article, please review the archives or email the Tripod at tripod@trincoll.edu for assistance.

Website Retention and Article Removal or Retraction Policies

The Tripod strives to be a record of Trinity College’s history and we work hard to ensure that all editions are preserved in the College archives and that their content is incorporated as part of the digital record on our website. We are also committed to the truth and to the accurate depiction of information.

In keeping with that commitment and in accordance with our peer institution the Wesleyan Argus, the Tripod avers that alterations of the historical record of the community are contrary to our mission as a College newspaper. One of the tenets of journalism is the importance of arriving at the truth and sharing that truth with the student population. At times, this truth may be damaging to the parties involved. However, to alter or amend our archives for any but the most egregious errors hinders our ability to report the truth accurately and fairly. In short, it limits our ability to do our job.

The Tripod acknowledges that errors will appear in its content and knows that mistakes may occur.

Accordingly, the Tripod recognizes two classes of requests. The first, for corrections, deal strictly with spelling errors, errors in names and dates, and other minor content errors, and may be submitted to the Tripod at tripod@trincoll.edu. Corrections will appear on page two of the next regular print edition and the inaccuracy will be included with the article on the Tripod website.

The second are requests for retractions or major emendations to content. Those requests are more serious and the Tripod will not alter or remove content from our archives except under the following conditions:

  1. The content is factually incorrect, with such factual inaccuracy proved to the editor of the Tripod by the introduction of evidence or a detailed refutation of the inaccuracy; or
  2. The content has been deemed libelous, dangerous or otherwise illegal by a court of law or by legal counsel with supporting evidence.

Cases that fall under the above criteria will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the Editor-in-Chief. Content that does not fall within those two categories will not be considered for removal or alteration. If an error is determined and proved satisfactorily, the Tripod may issue a correction or emendation to the article and, in exceptional cases, may retract the story.

Articles that are removed from the Tripod‘s website or search engine results are not removed from PDF versions of the paper, nor are they deleted from the College’s archives. The Tripod will not alter, amend, or remove PDF versions of the paper under any circumstances or for any reasons. Those who wish to have their articles removed from the website or search engine results should email their requests, with supporting evidence, to tripod@trincoll.edu.

Further, requests to remove content due to damage to personal reputation, if factually true, will generally not be approved as a matter of course.

However, if an individual does file a request to remove an article because of a reputation-related concern, the Tripod will not consider such request until one year (365 days) has passed from the date of the publication of the content online or in print. We require this one year rule to ensure that careful thought and consideration is given to the request and that requests of a fleeting nature do not arise.

The Tripod reminds those with concerns about retraction that the paper retains full editorial responsibility and such editorial authority is recognized by the College. While the Office of the Dean of Students may hear your concerns and seek to mediate them, they cannot mandate that the Tripod remove or retract content.

We appreciate your understanding and ask that you consider this policy carefully before contacting us with alteration, removal, or retraction requests.