The Golden College Rule: If you wait a few months after the semester begins, it’ll end.

Accordingly, our fall semester 1996 has nearly come to pass, taking with it a host of campus issues that will likely come up again in January, undoubtedly changed a tad by a month of dormancy.

So it is, too, with the Iowa State Daily. (Warning: The following is a tired and dumb phrase, but true.) It seems like just a short time ago when I returned from a semester of reporting in New York to run your student newspaper.

It’s been a good ride thus far (Sorry, I do have another semester left in my term), one marked by loads of issues, what I think was a good effort by the Daily staff, some mistakes, some warm fuzzies, some cold pricklies and just about everything and anything in between.

In light of a looming end to the academic term, then, it seems appropriate for a little reflection.

For those Daily rookies, or those who just haven’t been paying attention the last few years, the Daily will be published all of this week, and not during Finals Week, except for a tab-sized special section.

So here goes: As a simple matter of applicants, we’ve had a lot of inexperience on staff at the Daily this semester. That’s both good and bad.

It’s good in the sense that we’ve got a lot of enthusiasm to go out and get stories. It’s bad in the sense that we sometimes do things, by way of errors and lapses in judgment, that I’d rather we not do.

Growing pains, however, are a part of any organization. Mine is no different.

But in all honesty, and this is entirely a biased point of view, I think your student newspaper has been relatively sound this semester.

There is more local news in the paper — my top goal coming in — than ever before. Some argue that’s at the expense of larger, more impactual news pieces. I’ve also caught heat for cutting down on the amount of city, state, national and international news in the paper on a daily basis.

But my view is this: Study after study, focus group after focus, shows time and time again that people simply care little about that which does not directly affect them. Right or wrong, I think it is my job to reflect that.

That doesn’t mean I want the Daily to become a university newsletter. On the contrary, I want us to continue to develop into a more comprehensive news provider for the Iowa State community. I want us to have our fingers on everything that happens here so we can get you the information that most directly affects your lives.

We haven’t always succeeded. Truth be known, there have been days when I’ve been scared to check my voice mail. But you can argue success or failure until you’re blue in the face. You can’t, however, argue effort.

Whether the newspaper reflects it or not, the Daily staff does try in good faith to provide you with the most complete daily news report available. I hope you find it informative.

But to be a better newspaper, one thing is key: feedback. We need it. If you like a feature of the Daily or have complaints or suggestions for improvement, please let us know via a phone call, e-mail, letter to the editor or (this is my personal favorite) a shout.

You know, one of those on-campus jobbies like: “Hey Miller. Your column sucked today.” Straight-forward and to the point. I like it.

We can’t possibly accommodate everyone’s wish-list for the Daily, but critically evaluating suggestions is a part of our jobs.

What’s more, if you’re particularly talented by way of writing, copy editing, taking pictures, designing graphics or what have you, stop by 108 Hamilton Hall and pick up an employment application if you’re a student.

Involvement with your student newspaper is a healthy way to affect change.

But alas, our Golden College Rule (see above) has almost proved itself again. Thanks for an interesting semester.

If you’re looking for me this week I’ll be blowing Silly Putty bubbles with my nose at one of those “Stress-Free Zones.”

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Chris Miller is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Marshalltown. He is editor in chief of the Daily.