Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Today is the last day of publishing at The Daily Gazette. As another year draws to a close, we on the Editorial Board decided to take some time to reminisce.
This fall, The Daily Gazette underwent many changes. We brought on an almost entirely new Editorial Board, who were joined by both veteran staff writers and talented newcomers. We actually cleaned the office. We had a lot of discussions about the kind of paper we wanted to be: one that provided a voice to different parts of the community, one that could foster conversation between students, staff, and faculty, and one that was dedicated to interesting, well-researched reporting.
We think we’ve accomplished many of these goals, and we’re proud of the work we’ve done this year. Our writers have dedicated hundreds of hours of their time to attending plays, interviewing students, tracking down administrators, and making our staff meetings lively. They’ve written about Swarthmore Kehilah, done some keen investigation into the cost of a swipe at Sharples, and helped to introduce our new president. From Swat Visually, we learned more about campus opinions on everything from Sharples bars to campus safety. From The Fountain Pen, we learned people have some strong ass opinions on water fountains. From K.I.N.K. and Two Girls, One Column, we learned…well, we’ll keep those revelations to ourselves.
We also had a bustling opinions section this year, where students voiced their thoughts on Charlie Hebdo, Jewish student life on campus, and library snacking. Our days have been punctured with a seemingly neverending stream of divestment opinions pieces by Swatties and non-Swatties alike.
We would like to thank and bid farewell to our phenomenal Webmaster, Josh McLucas ‘15, who not only puts on chilling theatrical performances, but has also been our lifeline for all things internet. Even whilst in the depths of tech week, he has always been willing to pull through with last-minute fixes and uploads, and we are forever grateful.
It’s odd to think that the end of the year is so routine for some and yet so monumental for others. As we hire a new selection of editors and begin to recruit the next generation of writers, we’re hit with our own particular sense of zenosyne. Next year, The Daily Gazette will turn 20. Many of our editors will also turn 20. (Happy early birthday, photo, news, and social media!) While we begin planning and writing, we’re once again returning to the question of what we’d like The Daily Gazette to be. Next year, we’d like to dedicate ourselves to producing more long term, in-depth reporting. We’re going to develop closer relationships with faculty. We’re going to take full advantage of the world wide web and make more great videos. We’d like your input as well, as we are always looking for feedback on how we can do better.
We’ve come a long way. Thanks for staying with us.
You guys need to capitalize “Internet.”
Just teasing! Great year, everybody!
Kudos to the daily gazette for fantastic reporting! Every article that I’ve read has given me new persoectives and forced me to consider issues in a way that I hadn’t before. The Daily Gazette is the virtual, intellectual lifeline of Swarthmore, where Swatties can debate topics that may be too uncomfortable for in-person discussion.