It’s another new school year, and for those of you who don’t know, it means there is another new editor of the Iowa State Daily.

As editor in chief of the Daily, this probably will be the only personal column I will write this year.

The reason for this column is to let everyone know about some changes that have and will be made to the newspaper.

When I was chosen to be editor in chief of the Daily, no one told me that it was going to be easy. In fact, the most common response I received from people was, “You have a big responsibility.”

Going into the position, I was ready for being at the Daily every night until 11 p.m., working 10-hour days, taking a 12-credit class load, skipping some classes and not having a personal life.

But this week, I’ve come to the understanding that my responsibility involves much more.

The first week of the year is always the worst week for the Daily.

At the beginning of every year, the Daily basically starts from scratch. And on top of getting new reporters and editors comfortable in their positions, we get three-section whoppers with deadlines that are not always to our liking.

So don’t get too upset if you’ve seen a few errors this week because after this week, the Daily will only get better.

Just as Iowa State has taken on the mission to become the best land-grant university in the nation, the Daily has taken on a mission of its own — to be the best college newspaper in the nation.

I’m sure those of you who were here either this summer or last semester have noticed the change of the paper’s design.

One of the major changes made to the design of the paper was the elimination of the chimney on the left-hand side of the page. The chimney told what stories were featured inside.

I decided to move it to the bottom of the page to allow for bigger and better photos on the top of the page.

The date also was moved to the right-hand side of the page after getting feedback from many students and faculty that it was hard to find on the old layout.

Our name also was made more prominent by changing its color, font and size.

Changes have not only been made to improve the look of the paper, but also the quality of its content.

One of my goals is to decrease the number of personal columns on the opinion page.

Come on. Now do you guys really care about what Sally Bell did last weekend with her boyfriend?

I know I don’t.

Columnists will be writing more about issues on campus and in the Ames community. There will be a few personal columns, but they will be about issues that are identifiable by almost everyone.

Another change I am making, as far as content of the Daily is concerned, deals with the use of profanity in columns and news stories.

I have found too often that many columnist view their privilege of having their photo and name in the paper as a window of opportunity to say whatever they please.

I think profanity should not be in the paper, unless it adds something to the story.

Now, if ISU President Martin Jischke were to curse during an interview about an ISU issue, I would but it in the paper in a minute.

What’s the difference?

He’s the president of the university, not some everyday guy you’d meet at Tazzles on a Thursday night cursing like a sailor because the bartender didn’t make his drink right.

During this past week, I have received feedback as to how the paper is starting this year.

Most of it has been favorable, but I’m sure before it’s all over there will be unfavorable feedback. Whether its about how an issue was covered, where the story was placed or how a story was reported.

That’s cool. I view all feedback as good feedback because it means at least someone is reading the Daily and paying attention.

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Tara Deering is a senior in journalism and mass communication. She is editor in chief of the Daily.