Is The Broadside Only for COCC Students, or Also for the Wider Central Oregon Community?

Updated

The Broadside is the student news site of Central Oregon Community College (COCC), but its coverage is not limited to enrolled students. Its reporting regularly includes community-oriented topics and local organizations, and at least some of the programs it covers are explicitly open to the wider Central Oregon community. If you live in Central Oregon and want campus and regional information, it can serve as a source beyond the student body.

What The Broadside Is

The site identifies itself as "The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College." That label describes who produces it and its home institution, not a restriction on who can read it or what it covers.

Evidence That Coverage Reaches Beyond Campus

The published stories show a mix of campus and community subject matter:

  • Community-open programs. A story on KPOV, a Central Oregon radio station, describes a DJ class offered through COCC that "runs in spring and fall and is open to the community." The class prepares participants for their own show on KPOV radio.
  • Regional institutions. The same coverage centers on a local radio station rather than a purely campus entity.
  • Community events. The site maintains a "College and community events" section, pairing campus happenings with wider regional listings.
  • Broader issues. Articles such as "Resilience in an AI future" report on a COCC job fair but frame the topic around student and employer perspectives on the regional job market.

Who Writes and Edits It

Contributors, editors, and staff reporters produce the content. Byline examples in the published material include:

Role Example
Contributor Lindsey Spakousky
Editor Madeline Bell; Ray Randall
Staff reporter Dylan Piazza; Atticus King

This is a student-run operation, which is worth knowing when you weigh how a given story is sourced.

What This Means for Different Readers

  • COCC students: Campus news, events, and student life coverage.
  • Central Oregon residents: Local organizations, community-open classes, and regional events that appear alongside campus reporting.
  • Prospective students or community members: A window into COCC programs and the surrounding area.

Practical Takeaway

If your question is whether you need to be a COCC student to read or benefit from The Broadside, the answer is no. The site is produced by and for the college community, but its reporting extends to Central Oregon organizations and events, and some of what it covers is open to the public. Treat it as a campus news source with a regional reach rather than a closed student-only publication.