The UC-Berkeley j-school, under the direction of Dean Neil Henry, is offering press passes to students and asking them to take the following “student honor pledge”:

The purpose of journalism is to seek truth and report it to the public. As a student at Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, I acknowledge that my work may appear publicly in a wide variety of media formats and outlets, including the school’s local news sites. I will strive to practice the craft at its highest standards, and specifically pledge the following in my reporting: 

I will not fabricate; 

I will not plagiarize; 

I will maintain my independence from political and commercial influence; 

I will not represent myself other than as a journalist.

The press passes were designed by J-School Lecturer Richard Koci Hernandez, who modeled them after the passes issued by his last full-time employer, the Mercury News. Students were told that they would be given their press pass when they sign the pledge.