Taking over the reins

Indiana Daily Student Editor in Chief Rick Newkirk has had a good run. He has overseen some big news -- a restructuring of the University and a men's basketball coaching shakeup come to mind. But with the semester drawing to a close, Newkirk and his management staff are leaving us for the brave world of professional journalism -- I wish them well.\nBut now it's my turn. After an intense interview process by the 11-member Student Media Board, I was selected as the fall 2006 editor in chief Friday.\nI'd like to begin by inviting you to talk to me if you would like to change anything about the newspaper. Shoot me an e-mail at mzennie@indiana.edu, call me at 855-0760 or swing by Ernie Pyle Hall 120. I would love to hear what all of the IDS's readers have to say and what you think about our news coverage. After all, without you, our readers, this newspaper would be going nowhere fast.\nIt's difficult to express how excited I am to begin in the fall. I love journalism. I eat, sleep and breathe it. It keeps me awake at night and gets me up in the morning. I started at the IDS in January 2004 as a scared freshman writer who heard a chorus of angels sing out every time the editor in chief walked into the room. I don't know that the gravity of being selected has yet hit me, but I can tell you that I don't have a chorus of angels heralding my entrances just yet. To me, there is no bigger honor than to lead the newspaper that has become my home and my family at IU. \nYou can expect me to continue the strong tradition of covering the issues that matter to students. We haven't heard much about IU President Adam Herbert lately or what the faculty thinks of his leaving the University in 2008. You can expect the IDS to get to the bottom of this issue to seek out how it impacts the day-to-day activities of the 38,000 students on the Bloomington campus. \nThe greek system is working to refine a campus alcohol policy to balance safety and independence. Other campuses are also struggling with this issue. I'm also hoping to explore how the alcohol policies at other universities work. \nI'm also planning some changes for our Web site, www.idsnews.com. I want to update it throughout the day with developments and breaking stories so that you can get news about the IU community that's current no matter the day or night. You can also look for more videos, slide shows and special Web features. \nBut despite some changes, you can continue to expect the same high-quality, compelling storytelling that continues to rack up national and state collegiate journalism awards. Thanks for reading -- I look forward to serving you next semester.