Originally abbreviated from Student College and Administrative Committee News, SCAN was started in 1967 as a one-page newsletter by members of staff at the University. In the later years of publication, the Editor’s position became an elected sabbatical role within the Lancaster University Students’ Union (LUSU).
The publication has continued to evolve over the years and has now become one of the longest running student newspapers in Europe. With over 500 editions, the publishing process — from writing to editing, photography to layout design — is done entirely by students. In 2008, SCAN editor, Dan Hogan retitled the publication as Student Comment and News while maintaining the original acronym.
SCAN has been improving its contents and production value in the recent years. Since 2009, stories submission have primarily been done through this website which has enabled it to serve as an alternative medium of content delivery to the print edition. The same year the newspaper switched to being printed on 100% recycled paper. Further changes took place in 2010, as SCAN Editor Lizzie Houghton, introduced Carolynne — a supplement magazine for features, lifestyle and culture.
2021 saw a wave of change for SCAN, from an improved media presence, to revamped newspaper design and the introduction our newest section introduced; ‘Creative Writing,’ ran by Section editor Sam Allport. In 2022, Editor in Chief Tabi Lambie gave Carolynne a new look, removing the name and giving each section independence, now consisting of:
Carolynne’s artistic content is still regularly published, with the addition of Creative Writing, though SCAN has been going through some changes. Out-dated sections such as Fashion and Beauty, Photography and Business were removed, while all the old articles from the last decade can still be found on the website, they are filed under ‘Lifestyle’ or ‘Arts and Culture.’ With a new look, and passionate team, SCAN have been shortlisted for multiple awards at the Student Publication Association National Conference and Awards, including that of ‘Best Publication’ in 2022.
SCAN is published termly, with online publication of articles, competitions and news released consistently throughout the year, the best way to find this content is via our socials. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more updates and news on publications.
Free copies of SCAN are available on campus at the following locations.
-ISS helpdesk, Learning Zone
-Library entrance
-The Gym entrance