Submissions
All freelancers should use this form to pitch stories, illustrations, photos or video to the Columbia Chronicle. You will be notified if your pitch is approved. We do not guarantee publication.
- Reporting standards: The Columbia Chronicle does not publish press releases or promotional material. All pitches must be independently reported, and contributors may not have a personal or professional relationship with the subject.
- Stories: Reported stories must be 550–850 words and include a minimum of three sources. Many stories will require additional sourcing.
- Verification: Freelancers must provide a source list and be prepared to share recordings, notes, email exchanges, or other materials necessary for fact-checking.
- Format: The Chronicle does not publish Q&A-style stories.
- Other formats: Photo, video, and illustration pitches must demonstrate original reporting, access, and a clear editorial purpose.
Tip: Pitches are more likely to be accepted if you have done pre-reporting and can demonstrate that a viable story or project exists. Please do not submit undeveloped ideas.
Submission Guidelines for Artwork
By submitting your artwork to The Columbia Chronicle, you are giving The Chronicle full permission to publish your content, in its original form, at any given time following submission. The Chronicle will not alter or repurpose content in any given form without the artist’s written consent. All artwork must be signed.
By submitting your artwork to The Columbia Chronicle, you agree that you own all rights to the work produced. Do not submit artwork that is not your own. If it is a collaborated work, please leave contact information for all parties involved in the submission. You must disclose if you used AI in any way.
By submitting your artwork to The Columbia Chronicle, you acknowledge that compensation will not be received or requested for publishing your work.
The Columbia Chronicle reserves the right to not publish works under any circumstance. The Columbia Chronicle also reserves the right to publish any work(s) more than once.
The Columbia Chronicle welcomes letters to the editor. Letters are meant to be responses specifically to Chronicle coverage. We reserve the right to fact-check and to edit pieces for clarity and length. Please do not submit a letter if you are unwilling to work with a student editor for publication.
We do not print unsubstantiated allegations or solicitations for causes.
We also do not run press releases or general statements as letters.
We reserve the right to limit letters to two per semester.
The Columbia Chronicle welcomes submissions of guest opinion articles on any topic with a connection to Columbia College Chicago and to our South Loop neighborhood. Submissions must be exclusive to the Chronicle.
We will not consider work that already has been published on a personal blog or social media or that is written anonymously or under a pseudonym. We consider only completed articles and do not guarantee publication. Priority is given to students at Columbia College and members of our campus community. Please identify your connection when submitting. We do not pay for submissions.