Quality journalism is always a collaborative endeavor. Often, the most important cover stories are the ones that are not picked up from the Return To Campus email or our weekly pitch document. It’s the stories that come to us from our readership—from students engaged in community life and on-campus advocacy, faculty members and administrators.

We sometimes don’t know about news unless you tell us. We are also cognizant that often the most important stories published come from anonymous or confidential tips. Do you have the next big story? Have something that is sensitive that you want to share? Here’s how to get in touch with The Gazelle.

The primary mode to reach out to The Gazelle is through our Tip Form. The form is completely anonymous, and unless you provide us with contact details, we will not be able to trace it to you.

First, choose the degree of security that you require. If your circumstances allow you to, we encourage you to choose "Confidential." This allows us to verify and pursue stories more effectively, leading to trustworthy and quality journalism. If you would like to hide your identity as well as keep information confidential, you should select the “Anonymous” option. We strongly advise you to be liberal in assessing personal risk.

You can share words, physical documents and/or electronic documents with us. If you would like to submit either physical or electronic documents, we encourage you to reach out to us via an encrypted email to thegazelletips@protonmail.com instead of the Tip Form. This is by far the most secure way to communicate with The Gazelle. For physical documents, please reach out to us on ProtonMail and we can arrange a drop-off.

An important note: Beyond anything, we care for your safety. We take anonymity, sensitivity matters and personal risks very seriously, and will do everything in our power to protect you—and your identity—if you choose to share information with us.

There are several constituents to a good news tip. Firstly, evidence and documentation. This is absolutely essential: in order for us to effectively pursue stories, we need as much—and as accurate—information as possible. Secondly, give us context: tell us why it matters. Sometimes, in certain circumstances, we may not be able to quickly, and sufficiently, assess the impact of a tip. This is where you come in: help us understand the real-world consequences of your tip.

Clarity and brevity are of significance too: As committed we are to quality investigative journalism, we also would like to avoid reading tips that resemble manifestos. Moreover, a good news tip is newsworthy: While reading “Associate Vice Chancellor Kyle Farley rides a motorized scooter through the Student Affairs suite, leaving staff members confused and dazzled,” is entertaining, we would rather not write a story about it. Lastly, while we will be regularly on the lookout for tips, we can't promise that a tip submission will always prompt a response or a story.

Students, faculty, staff and external readers: send us your tips. We thank you for your committed readership and your support in our investigative pursuits.