EDITORIAL 1: Where we stand

The 115th Board of Managers and Editors takes over the reigns today. Here is what we believe in. And while we hope to bring fresh perspectives to our jobs, and ideas we believe will guide the DP to even greater heights over the course of the next two semesters, we renew a time-honored commitment: We pledge to uphold the highest standards of journalistic integrity and excellence. To present the issues that matter to the University community. To bring you a better and deeper understanding of the stories we tell. In this, we hope to mold our efforts closely to those of past boards. But in other ways, this will be a year of new directions. First and foremost, we will work to discover new angles and perspectives on the news. And we pledge to show you the human side of the story by bringing to life the events and people behind the facts we report. Our sports section will continue to provide top-notch events coverage while expanding its focus on Penn's athletes and their stories. The opinion page will work harder than ever to foster discussion by presenting a diversity of viewpoints on issues of concern to students. We're proud of our columnists, and to better present them to you, we will be featuring them weekly. And we anticipate new directions in graphical presentation, including a return to student-generated opinion art. Perhaps the greatest innovations will come in cyberspace. The Daily Pennsylvanian Interactive will dramatically expand the amount and quality of original content available on the website. A preview of the day's paper is now available the night before publication, and a trivia question and the local weather are also online. As we pursue new directions and fresh approaches, our link to tradition remains strong. We are proud of our status as a financially and editorially independent corporation, but we know full well that a weighty measure of responsibility accompanies such independence. Ours is a role we take very seriously, and we ask that you hold us to our promise to provide accurate and informative coverage. If you have questions, comments or concerns, we encourage you to let us know -- by phone, fax, mail or e-mail. We cannot promise perfection, but we do promise to do our best and learn from our mistakes. The coming year is one of tremendous opportunity for us. We look forward to one of the most exhilarating and exhausting experiences of our college careers with anticipation and apprehension. We hope you enjoy the ride.