Our front page declares, “The student voice of Washington State University.” Is it just me, or is that a little presumptuous?

Who are we to unequivocally and irrefutably declare ourselves the voice of every single Cougar? By the nature of the industry, all newspapers run the risk of slipping into a news vacuum, of becoming institutions that represent only the voices of its writers and editors. Which is why in the upcoming semester, I need your help.

In order for The Daily Evergreen to serve as the voice of Pullman, we must first and foremost serve as its ears. That’s where you come in. We need feedback from you to best represent the ongoing conversations in this community.

We’re here to answer your questions, even the hard ones. This semester brings exciting new changes in the Evergreen staff, including the launch of a small investigative news team responsible for providing the in-depth, research-heavy reporting that starts conversations on the campus and beyond. If you have a concern that needs addressing, drop me a line at 509-335-3194, send an email to [email protected], or pay me a visit in Murrow East 122. Consider these talented reporters at your disposal.

Our mission is to remain as open to your feedback as possible. In order to accomplish this, we’re consistently monitoring multiple channels of communication. Another new addition to the Evergreen staff, a full-time web manager, will ensure that your online comments on Facebook.com/TheDailyEvergreen and tweets @TheDailyEvergreen never fall through the cracks.

Upon taking on the role of editor-in-chief, I set a few personal goals. Along with remaining accessible to you, my ultimate mission is to foster a culture of excellence in our newsroom. To ensure that our editors, reporters and photographers always push for a high quality product and never settle for ‘good enough.’ To guarantee that every inch of content in our pages serves this community to the highest degree. To hold ourselves accountable for getting it right.

The 2014 spring semester staff understands that your trust and respect can only be earned through quality reporting.

So when you read “The student voice of Washington State University,” know we do not take that title lightly. Here at the Evergreen, serving as the student voice means more than just reporting on events around the community. It means serving as the megaphone for the thousands of Cougar voices that may not otherwise be heard. 

-Calley Hair is a junior communication major from Redmond. She can be contacted at 335-3194 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.