Let me formally welcome you to the Daily Features section.

This is a big change in the Daily layout — the A&E section, which we have replaced, is dead. Rising from its ashes like a sun phoenix, the Features section bursts from its confined shell only to fly higher than ever imagined.

Metaphors aside, what will be different on these pages? Well, to be honest, that’s for us to figure out this semester. Dante, the assignment editor, and I are the crazy scientists responsible for the changes. We see this semester as a transition period from A&E to a full-fledged Features section.

This means spring 2005 is an experiment. In the fall, we will unveil the finalized section, complete with a new name and new faces.

But I want to be specific — there are changes we have already made that you will notice this semester:

• Less concert preview stories — I mean, how many stories can you read about some band you’ve never heard of coming to some place in Des Moines?

• More coverage — meaning more stories will actually cover events and gauge audience reaction. These include art exhibits, concerts, plays and other events.

• Less opinion — we will still have reviews of movies, CDs, books and video games. But there will be less articles written with one or no sources. If we want to write a story on how to deal with a breakup, then it will give advice from an expert in the field, not our reporter.

• More campus events — Iowa State is our top priority. This means our focus will be on topics and events that are relevant to students and faculty.

The biggest changes will be fundamental — how we write our stories. We want to strive to not just make changes in stories, but also how they are written.

And it saddens me that I cannot give you a definite answer on how we are going to do that. It means I am starting 2005 already disappointed. But through the months that we publish the features section, Dante and I will begin to realize what specific changes are needed to fulfill the needs of a Features section.

What I want from you is a little input. I want you to help us by suggesting a new name for our section in the fall semester. We are offering $100 to the person whose name suggestion we use. You can either e-mail your suggestion to [email protected] or post it on the online column.

If this sounds familiar to a few of you it should — a former A&E editor arranged this contest last semester. We are extending the contest for a few more months, so don’t worry if you’ve already submitted answers — we have kept those in a big manila envelope on my desk.

Now, with all this talk of changes, I have felt the urge to take it personally. In doing so, I am going to make a pledge to change myself. I am going to work ‘reasonably’ hard to get into shape and lose some weight. My plan for losing weight is simple. A traditional, no gimmicky diet where I follow five major rules.

Please feel free to offer suggestions via e-mail or online how you want to see the section change. I’m sure your ideas will help us create a better read for yourself and other students.