Welcome– or welcome back – to Pullman, Cougs. I hope you’re ready for another great year.

As you know, the University suffered a devastating loss this summer with the death of its president, Elson S. Floyd. Floyd was a kind, thoughtful and passionate leader for this institution, and his contributions to the school and the community at large cannot be overstated. Without a doubt, WSU lost one of its greatest Cougs in June, and the condolences of The Daily Evergreen and The Office of Student Media have been and are still with the Floyd family.

For those who did not have the opportunity to meet Floyd, I can tell you from personal experience that he truly cared about his students and wanted to see them succeed. I implore that in this coming academic year you push yourself to be the best student, community member and overall person you can be to honor Floyd’s memory.

If you are new to our campus, we’re thrilled to have you here. My recommendation for the best way to combat the new-school jitters is to get involved with as many clubs, organizations and activities on campus as you can. There’s no better way to immerse yourself in the Cougar experience and meet interesting and diverse people than by getting involved.

If you’re reading this letter, you’ve already taken a great step toward getting connected with the campus community by picking up The Daily Evergreen or by checking us out online. The Daily Evergreen has been the student voice of WSU since 1895 and has brought armfuls of regional and national awards back to Pullman in recent years.

And here’s the thing: none of this would be possible without our readers. You have told us what you’ve wanted to see in the paper and we’ve listened, trying to tailor our coverage and the Office of Student Media’s outreach to your interests because, at the end of the day, this is your paper.

That being said, the time has come to give you, the students, the opportunity to guarantee the future of The Daily Evergreen.

Like a lot of print publications – especially student-run ones – The Daily Evergreen has fallen on some turbulent financial times. Some departments created in the past few years – such as our Web & Mobile and Marketing teams – have expanded Student Media’s reach and helped diversify our revenue streams to at least stem the tide of major financial issues, but the long-term future of The Daily Evergreen is far from secure.

So what can you as a student and a reader do to help keep The Evergreen thriving?

Pending a vote by the ASWSU senate, there will be a Student Media referendum proposed to the student body this semester. A “Yes” vote for this referendum – which will put a few dollars from each students’ fees into Student Media – shows support for a nationally-recognized, student-run institution on this campus that serves to inform the WSU community and lead the conversation on scores of social issues.

Continue to pick up a copy of The Daily Evergreen and vote yes for Student Media when the time comes.

Let’s make this year one for the books.