Columbia Journalism School To Review Rolling Stone's Editorial Process

Rolling Stone’s editor and publisher said he has asked the Columbia Journalism School to conduct an independent review of its controversial story about a gang rape at the University of Virginia.

AP Photo/The Daily Progress, Ryan M. Kelly

Weeks after Rolling Stone issued an apology to its readers, admitting to mistakes made in a widely read story about an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia, the magazine's editor and publisher Jann Wenner said Columbia Journalism School will conduct an independent review.

Dean Steve Coll and Dean of Academic Affairs Sheila Coronel will head the review, which will look into the editorial process that led to the publication of the story.

"Rolling Stone has asked us to conduct an independent review of the reporting and editorial decision making that led to the publication of its recent story on sexual violence at the University of Virginia," Deans Coll and Coronel said in an email. "Rolling Stone has agreed to publish our report in its entirety, without editing, on its website, as well as substantial excerpts in the magazine."

They said they do not want to comment further until their work is completed and said there is no timeline for their report.

The article, titled "Rape on Campus," was published in November and claimed a woman named Jackie was raped by seven men at a fraternity house and that the university failed to respond to the assault. The article garnered so much attention that the university suspended all fraternities for the rest of the semester and UVA president Teresa Sullivan promised a full investigation into the matter.

Two weeks after publication — and following an investigation of its story by the Washington Post — Rolling Stone issued a note to its readers saying trust in their source was "misplaced." The next day, the magazine changed the language of the note, saying that the magazine made mistakes and "these mistakes are on Rolling Stone, not Jackie."

UVA was already under federal investigation by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights over how they handle sexual violence before the Rolling Stone story was published.

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