Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.
Welcome back to campus and to the Indiana Daily Student opinion section. We’re your fall opinion editors, Eric Cannon and Emma Howard. Fortunately, we come bearing better news since last spring’s letter, which bore the more dire headline “Don’t let opinion die.”
The week that letter hit the press in January, just two other opinion columns were published. As you read this letter, the Indiana Daily Student has already published six opinion columns this week, and 12 more are scheduled between now and Thursday. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our staff writers and community members who have sent guest columns and letters, IDS opinion has hit the ground running.
You may notice several other developments:
- This week features multiple columns on Bloomington’s proposed logo. Opinion columns are supposed to constructively initiate or contribute to public conversations, and we are prioritizing publishing column series that provide diverse perspectives within a single conversation.
You can play an important role in this goal by sending us guest columns or letters — shorter responses to opinions or news stories the IDS publishes — to opinion@idsnews.com or letters@idsnews.com, respectively. - If you enjoy a particular columnist’s work, begin to expect that more regularly. Last fall, we asked columnists to write within beats — specific areas of coverage, like culture or science. Now, we have asked them to write on the same days every week.
- IDS opinion will be expanding its social media presence and venturing into multimedia, like shortform video and podcasts accompanying columns or column series. We see this as another important way of reaching our audience and bringing them critical perspectives on the news that matters to them.
Before we close, let us introduce you to the dream team: this semester’s writers. Some details are pending as we settle into the semester:
- Astrid Alomia, sophomore, covers media and culture. Her columns appear Thursdays.
- Joaquin Baerga, senior, covers media and culture. He writes on a free schedule.
- Sasha Burton, junior, covers student life. Her columns appear Wednesdays.
- Eric Cannon, junior, covers politics and culture. His columns appear Sundays and Wednesdays.
- Jacob Fry, junior, covers politics. He writes on a free schedule.
- Emma Howard, junior, covers media and culture. Her columns appear Mondays and Thursdays.
- Max Moore, senior, covers politics. He writes on a free schedule.
- Spencer Robinson, junior, covers politics. His columns appear Thursdays.
- Spencer Schaberg, junior, covers science. His columns appear Sundays.
- Advait Save, junior, covers business. He writes on a free schedule.
- Samantha Shanker, sophomore, covers student life. She writes on a free schedule.
- Skylar Small, junior, has newly joined. Her beat and schedule are to be determined.
Our staff of 12, you may have noticed, includes eight juniors and two seniors, a great blessing of lessons learned, but lacking in the years to continue this great project. If writing for opinion interests you, see the employment section on the IDS website, and email the section editors at opinion@idsnews.com with any questions or concerns.
To all our readers, thank you for your continued support. The Indiana Daily Student is unique among newspapers serving southern Indiana for how many in-house opinion columnists it employs, bringing with them a diversity of insights. We hope to produce content that is ever worthier of your time.
