What is The Pacer and what does it cover?

Updated

The Pacer is the independent student news publication of the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin). According to its own masthead, it has served as the "independent voice of the University of Tennessee at Martin since 1928." It is not a departmental press office or a general regional newspaper — its focus is UT Martin's campus and the community around it.

Who runs it

The Pacer describes itself as independent, which in the context of a campus paper generally means its editorial decisions are made by its own student editors rather than by university administration. Its content is produced by student reporters and editors, and it is distributed to the campus and surrounding community.

What it covers

Based on the publication's own front-page content, its coverage centers on:

  • Campus news — events, announcements, and issues affecting UT Martin students and staff
  • Sports — UT Martin athletics, including teams like the Skyhawks
  • Student life and community topics — matters relevant to the campus audience

A representative example from the site is a sports story headlined "UT Martin Volleyball goes undefeated in Skyhawk Classic," bylined Isaiah Murphy. That item shows the typical shape of Pacer coverage: a specific UT Martin team, a specific event, and a student byline.

When to use it

The Pacer is the right source if you want:

  • UT Martin–specific news, results, and campus happenings
  • Reporting written from a student perspective rather than an official university communications angle
  • A long-running local record — the publication traces its history to 1928

It is not the place to look for statewide Tennessee news, national coverage, or peer-reviewed research. For those, you would need other outlets.

How to read it

Because the paper is student-run, expect coverage that reflects the academic calendar — heavier during the semester, lighter during breaks — and a mix of news, sports, and opinion. Bylines identify the student journalists, so you can follow a particular writer's work across issues.