Interested in contributing to The Cascade?
As a completely student-run newspaper, we’re always looking for more students to help us out by writing articles, taking pictures, or even completing illustrations or helping design the paper. This can include anything from snapping a few pictures or writing something short and sending it our way, to taking on a column or writing some larger articles and features.
Current students will be paid $20 for a published article (to a limit of two articles per issue) that meets The Cascade‘s standards.
Assignment Sheet
You can get involved by reviewing our current assignment sheet to see if there are any article ideas that you are interested in writing about, or if you had an original idea for an article, contact the editor of the section you think the article would fit best in.
If you’d like to sign up to write on any of the listed topics, add your name beneath it and email the editor for the section it’s in!
If you have any questions, or would like to join our mailing list to receive the Assignment Sheet in your inbox every two weeks, reach out to our Managing Editor: Managing@ufvcascade.ca.
Payment Criterion
- Only current UFV students are eligible for payment. Alumni are still welcome to contribute, however!
- Contributors are limited to two paid submissions per issue of The Cascade, for a total of $40.
- Only full-length articles are eligible for payment. Shorter-form writing, such as Snapshots or contributions to collaborative articles, are still voluntary.
- As always, The Cascade has sole discretion of what is and is not published, and there will be no payment for articles that are not published, regardless of reason.
- Contributors must sign and abide by The Cascade’s contributor contract.
How to submit articles?
Before submitting work, please read a print issue of the paper to familiarize yourself with conventions and stylistic choices. Then, get in touch with the appropriate sectional editor to pitch your idea/talk about possible topics.
Submit articles as Google docs with open sharing permissions. Review our article formatting guidelines before sending your pieces in for consideration.
The sections:
We publish news relevant to the university, with a small focus on community news. We want to foster a community of informed and engaged students and community members, and believe that accurate reporting does this. News writing sometimes looks challenging, but it is a crucial aspect to The Cascade’s mandate and therefore one of the most important sections.
Article word count: 500–750 words. Longer or shorter is allowed if necessary for the article.
Email our news editor for info, an assignment list, to pitch a story, or to send in tips.
We are interested in your opinion, but make sure it’s unique and relevant to The Cascade’s audience. As mentioned above, we publish in the Fraser Valley community, and work to stay relevant to it. We do not discriminate against opinions.
Article word count: 500-750 words.
Email our opinion editor for info, an assignment list, or to pitch an article.
We publish non-fiction features, usually longform journalism, as the edition’s featured spread. We’re primarily interested in investigative pieces, although we also interested in relevant personal essays, or offbeat and quirky stories.
Word count: 2000–4000 words. Exceptions can be made.
Email our features editor for info about stories we’re looking for or to pitch a story idea.
PHOTOGRAPHY
We are interested in photo essays, Fraser Valley specific photography, or photos to accompany written work.
Email our creative director for info.
We publish a variety of event preview and coverage. Our goal is to be a hub for cultural involvement and we do this by publishing articles on local plays, shows, and concerts. We also cover unique events and tales from interesting subcultures.
Article word count: 500-750 words.
Email our culture & events editor for info, an assignment list, or to pitch a story.
We publish critical and reflective reviews of all art, but we put a strong emphasis on locally created work. This includes, though isn’t limited to, visual art, photography, film, music, podcasts, and literature.
Reviews are not summaries and should take a critical approach to reviewing the work. This means considering the work’s purpose and use in (or outside of) the context of its genre.
Article word count: 500-750 words.
Email our arts in review editor for info, an assignment list, or to pitch a review.
These categories are by no means rigid. We like work that crosses boundaries or attempts something unique. For any inquiries about topics or suggestions, email the respective editor.
After submitting a piece, the editor will contact you with suggested edits, to check facts, and to discuss article direction. Don’t be concerned if the editor has a number of suggested edits — we want to work with you to see your writing reach its full potential.
The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that are unnecessarily offensive, not in line with The Cascade’s ethos, or libellous. The writer’s name and student number must be submitted with each submission. Letters to the editor must be under 200 words if intended for print. Only one letter to the editor per writer in any given edition.
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade staff and collective, or associated members.
Email our managing editor at managing@ufvcascade.ca to get our newest pitch list every other Monday in your inbox to keep up to date on what stories we’re looking for people to cover.
You can also stop by our office on the second floor of the Student Union building to say hi and learn more about what we do and how you can help!
