"The Online Gargoyle" and "the Gargoyle" offered on this site are operated by the journalism class at University of Illinois Laboratory High School (collectively, "us" or "we"). By accessing or using our web site (the "Online Gargoyle" or the "Site"), you signify that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these policies (the "Policies"), whether or not you are a registered member of the Online Gargoyle. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or delete portions of these Policies at any time without further notice. Your continued use of the Online Gargoyle after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Policies. If you do not agree to abide by these or any future Policies, do not use or access (or continue to use or access) the Online Gargoyle. It is your responsibility to regularly check the Site to determine if there have been changes to these Policies and to review such changes.

Privacy Policy

The Online Gargoyle will follow the same policy as its print predecessor, the Gargoyle, with respect to privacy. When publishing stories and photos about Uni-related events and topics, we will not include photos or references to students whose parents have specifically informed the school to exclude them from Uni publications. We will observe all relevant federal and state privacy laws when covering newsworthy stories dealing with disciplinary matters or other sensitive issues.

Content Policy

The Online Gargoyle and its print predecessor, the Gargoyle, were established as forums of student ideas and expression. Our content reflects the interests and ideas of students but not necessarily those of the Uni High administration and faculty.

This publication is not subject to prior review. The administration of Uni High should not be held responsible for Online Gargoyle content.

The editors, in consultation with their adviser, work to ensure that all written and visual content shall live up to the standards expressed in our statement of principles.

While the Online Gargoyle may discuss, present, or allude to material that some of our readers might consider offensive, such material will not be put into our publication unless we believe it has literary, political, social, cultural, or artistic value.

User Account Policy

Any individual at least 13 years of age may create an account with the Online Gargoyle.

Uni students and faculty must use their Uni- or University-issued e-mail address.

Account information (including e-mail, affiliation, and name) must be kept up-to-date and accurate. Your must use your real full name (first and last). Abbreviations/preferred names (i.e. William to Bob or Elizabeth to Liz) are acceptable; however, pseudonyms (e.g., Gossip Girl 101 or Random Parent 5) are not, under any circumstance, acceptable.

Failure to comply with our User Account Policy will result in an indefinite ban on that user's account and any additional accounts the user creates henceforth.

Comments Policy

REGISTERED USERS
In order to be home to conversations in which people connect, discuss, add facts, share ideas, and debate issues, the Gargoyle staff has created the following policy:

Accounts

• In order to comment, readers must create an account and complete an e-mail verification process. Anonymous comments will not be permitted.
• Accounts can use real names or screen names.
• Accounts using screen names and non-Uni e-mails will always be moderated.
• Accounts using real names and a Uni e-mail address will go to un-moderated status after five approved posts.
• Any account that has repeated (5 or more) rejected comments will be banned.

Moderation

• The moderators will be the adviser and the two editors-in-chief. Additional moderators can be added at the discretion of the adviser.
• Moderators will screen comments for criteria that may exclude them, but will also use their discretion, erring on the side of providing an open forum to readers. Moderators will not edit comments (i.e. spelling, grammar, all caps.)
• Moderators will choose to post or not post comments based on their judgment, which includes consideration of the following:

Gargoyle Comment Guidelines

Not permitted:

• “Flaming” (hostile and insulting interactions between internet users) or “trolling” (provoking other readers and/or inhibiting on-topic discussion)
• Comments that advocate violence; threats of violence or threats to any person or group's personal safety
• Advertising for business or personal interests
• Obscenity/vulgarity/profanity (language that would typically be bleeped out.) This includes letters followed by dashes and acronyms.
• Libel (legal definition, i.e. a false statement, presented as a fact, that would tend to harm another person’s reputation)
• Comments that are completely off-topic; comments should be relevant, but do not have to be directly related (i.e. (i.e. a link to a related article, or an interesting statistic.)
• Personal attacks (this does not include reasoned criticism of a person’s or group’s actions, a story, a policy or an incident.)

Permitted:

• Clearly labeled opinions, unless the comment violates other policies
• Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking.
• Reasoned criticism of a person’s or group’s actions, a story, a policy or an incident
• Clarifying questions
• Corrections
• Additional factual information
• Personal experiences of the commenter

Corrections Policy

The Online Gargoyle will acknowledge and correct any mistakes that are brought to our attention.

Our reporters and editors reserve the right to reply to letters or posted comments that question their journalistic conduct, judgment, or integrity.

Reader Content Submission Policy

The Online Gargoyle accepts content submissions for publication on the Online Gargoyle.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1. Do not submit content to the Online Gargoyle that is not your own work or for which you do not have the rights to distribute.
2. Do not submit your work to the Online Gargoyle if another publisher has exclusive rights to the publication of that work.
3. Content must be appropriate. Do not submit content that portrays explicit sexuality, recreational drug use, or any illicit activities.

The Online Gargoyle will review all works submitted. We will contact you if we choose to publish your work.

The Online Gargoyle reserves the right to continue or discontinue publication of any work submitted to the us, indefinitely, without notice.