When The Sou’wester published its first issue on Nov. 5, 1919, its editorial board provided a statement of purpose. That statement read in part, “The college publication, whether paper, magazine, or even a pamphlet, is the most democratic institution a body of students can establish, to be of  mutual interest to all…The college paper belongs to one group as much as the other, and enters into every activity known in the college.”

We share the first editorial board’s goals. In pursuit of this same mission, we are changing the way The Sou’wester operates.

The first of these changes is an obvious one: we have transitioned from a weekly newspaper to a monthly news magazine. Readership of print journalism is down, but the print publication remains important. We hope that by publishing longer issues less frequently, we can encourage greater print readership and more intentional readership.

We also aim to be more inclusive of the campus community as a whole. The Sou’wester is student-run and is for students, and needs student input and engagement. But it is also for faculty and staff, the people who help make Rhodes somewhere we want to return to each semester. To that end, we invite your contributions—whether they be editorials, letters to the editor or art and photography.

We look forward to your cooperation.