Hello everyone, my name is Sam Underwood and I am the editor-in-chief of The Runner at Cal
State Bakersfield. In the last few weeks, as students, staff, and faculty, we have seen an
inordinate amount of upheaval in our daily lives with the spread of the coronavirus. This
pandemic has disrupted nearly all facets of our carefully crafted routines, and each of us is
beginning to feel an uncertainty in what we can rely on.
I wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to address this situation and to let you know The
Runner is still here for you. Regardless of the disruption to classes, to the campus, and to the
community as a whole, myself and the entire Runner staff will continue to cover the news that
matters to you, while upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity. We have at our
disposal amazing tools that allow us to collaborate online, create digital content, and
communicate constantly with each other and all of you.
We will not be printing a traditional bi-weekly issue due to the campus closure. However, today
we are publishing a digital edition that you can find on our website at therunneronline.com. In
addition, our social media platforms are always dedicated to releasing timely, informative,
content that provides the most up to date information and details.
The Runner staff so far has done an impressive job as a group of students that are learning the
basics of journalism. We are also very fortunate to have an experienced journalist that holds us
to the highest standards as a faculty advisor. We could not do this without her guidance. I
couldn’t be more proud of the staff I work with.
(it would be cool if you could drop in our staff photo during this past paragraph – then come
back to your face for your final two sentences)
Our mission at the Runner is ultimately to be the voice of the students. We are here for you, and
in this time of uncertainty, you can be certain that we will not falter.
Thank you.