It began five years ago as an outlet for Iowa State students who were frustrated with the lack of media attention given to the protesters of the Persian Gulf War.

Now The Drummer, an independent, alternative newspaper on campus, is undergoing major internal changes.

Currently, The Drummer publishes about every two months. With the restructuring, the newspaper will begin publishing every two weeks.

“The community in general, especially faculty, graduate students and upperclassmen really do read The Drummer. They appreciate what we write,” Mark Ingles, the managing editor, said. “Now we need to publish at regular intervals for them.”

Also topping the list of changes will be hiring a managing editor, who will be the first paid employee in the newspaper’s history.

Besides ensuring the future of the paper, current staff members said the new position will create the stability and devotion needed to keep The Drummer publishing.

Ingles said the position was created “in order to do better, inside and out.

“Everyone wants to do better. The only way is to have a staff member who is devoted to The Drummer,” Ingles said.

Paul McShane, treasurer for The Drummer, said he wants to focus on getting the publication back to reporting on local student issues.

“Parts of The Drummer will stay at a more local level. We want to get it more balanced for our readers,” McShane said.

Ingles said the new position is dependent on advertising revenues. The Drummer will beef up its advertising efforts to help pay for the position and the added issues. This year, The Drummer received $10,676 in assistance funding from the Government of the Student Body.

“That will be the toughest part. We have seven or eight regular publications in town already. Getting advertising will be difficult,” Ingles said.

If all goes well, he said the next step will be paying staff writers and other Drummer employees.

“With the new structure we’ll hopefully attract new students. We all have high hopes for this,” Ingles said.

The managing editor will be paid $250 a week. The position is categorized as an independent contractor. Ingles said Drummer officials are now accepting applications for managing editor and other positions at the paper.

Besides hiring a managing editor, increasing publication and targeting a younger student audience, The Drummer is creating a publication board to oversee the business and legal aspects of the paper.

Ingles said the board will have no control over the paper’s content and will consist of students and faculty.

The position of managing editor will be filled within two weeks and Ingles said the paper will begin publishing again at that time.

“Once we get going and The Drummer gets its act together, people will be able to rely on us for their alternative news,” McShane said.