COLUMN: A new year of the 'DP'

From Binyamin appelbaum's, "Carving Marble," Fall '00 From Binyamin appelbaum's, "Carving Marble," Fall '00Every January, a new executive editor picks up a figurative pen and introduces himself or herself to you, our readers. This year, as always, we will strive to change for the better. To improve the quality and depth of our coverage, the clarity and visual strength of our pages, the consistency and accuracy of our product. But changing for the better is not our only challenge and it is not our greatest challenge. The task of remaining the same is both more difficult and more important. Sometimes we change without reason, mistaking new for better. Sometimes we simply focus too much on correcting errors and too little on maintaining the quality of those things we already do well. And every single year, no matter how successful we have been, a new board of editors and managers takes over in place of the old. We may have a dedicated and intelligent staff, an ample revenue stream, a proven product that meets a demonstrated need. But we lack natural continuity. Consider this: Not a single person -- not one -- will be involved in the production of every The Daily Pennsylvanian you read during your four years at Penn. And so, each and every year, we must once again bid for your confidence, once again assert our commitment to editorial standards, once again hope to demonstrate through our actions and our product that we are worthy of your confidence. We haven't always succeeded. There have been ups and downs, times we failed to deliver and times you failed to trust. But we've grown old together. And today, one of the finest college newspapers in America graces the campus of one of America's finest universities. Day in and day out, over two thirds of the Penn community read the DP or visit dailypennsylvanian.com. Every Thursday, thousands of readers turn the pages of 34th Street. And on Tuesdays, The Weekly Pennsylvanian is mailed out to homes across the nation. That success -- your readership -- is a tribute to the countless students who have given countless hours to this paper over the years. Some of those students were idealists, dedicated to the proposition that journalists can make a difference. Others simply loved writing or photography or design. Regardless of why they came, the DP exists because of their efforts and dedication. If I had no other reason for mentioning them, I would feel justified in doing so -- their efforts are recognized and applauded far too infrequently. But effort, alas, only matters so much. The printed word has great power, and when we choose to print our words, we accept full responsibility for the power that we wield. When we err, when we fail to meet our own standards or yours, when our newspaper does not meet your needs, I expect that you will take us to task. But remember this, too, as you read these pages every day: Nowhere on this campus are there students more passionate about their school, more dedicated to its improvement, more enchanted with its people. This newspaper is a labor of love, nothing less or more. To most of my readers today, you who choose to read but not to participate, you have our thanks and our pledge to continue the DP's tradition of excellence. And to those among you who think you might like to be a part of what we do -- as advertising representatives or sports writers, photographers or designers -- we will be having an introductory meeting on January 25 at our offices. The address is 4015 Walnut Street, known as the Pink Palace for reasons that will be obvious once you've been inside. Most of us just call it home.