Yale students often receive media inquiries in person or via email about their activities or events on campus.
Although students are free to grant any interview request or make any comment, they are under no obligation to speak with the media or provide information.
What to know before engaging with the media
- As a student, you can refer any media professional to the Office of Public Affairs & Communications (OPAC), or you may choose to consult with OPAC concerning a media request. OPAC can facilitate any interview you may wish to grant.
- OPAC’s policy requires media members to request permission to visit campus. However, if you are approached by a media professional on campus, do not assume that OPAC has permitted their visit or approved their activity.
- Expect that any comment made to the media, or overheard by a media professional, whether recorded or not, will be reported. Once a comment or recording is published, given the nature of social media, it may be difficult to remove.
- To help you decide whether to grant an interview, ask the media professional for their name and outlet, the focus of the story, and when and where the news account will be published.
- No OPAC policy applies to media who are off-campus. However, you may follow the same guidance above (including referring the media to OPAC) when approached about Yale matters.