As I look back on the strides The Daily Collegian's News Division made in the academic year 2000-2001, I realize the key to our success was our strong coverage with focus on local news.

The Collegian covered a host of important local issues that demanded both strong, thoughtful reporting and writing and thorough and concise editing.

"I have faith that the next editor in chief, Jill Leonard, will continue to improve the Collegian's news content and presentation ..."

At the beginning of the semester, a Penn State student was charged with assaulting and harassing women in Snyder Halls, raising questions about dorm safety and security. Both the Metro and Campus staffs at the Collegian galvanized their reporters and, in combining their efforts, covered the story completely and sensitively. Three reporters, two of whom went on to become editors the following semester, were able to get exclusive interviews with the women who were assaulted or harassed and write a comprehensive and compelling article about what exactly happened in the early hours of Sept. 10, 2000.

Two sex education events sponsored by women's rights groups at Penn State raised the ire of a state representative. Subsequently, the events provoked a heated debate on free speech and community standards, as well as criticism from state citizens and alumni concerned with the reported "decline" of moral values at University Park. The Collegian news staff had to unravel the political agendas tangled with the issue at heart — the right of student-financed events to run without fear of censorship or suppression — while the editorial board consistently defended students' First Amendment rights.

The Collegian was the first to report that black students on campus received racist hate letters. In response to this deplorable act and to address the rising racial tensions at University Park, the Collegian decided to run daily student testimonies on acts of hate compiled by black student leaders.

The testimonials, which were published on the Opinion page, helped students realize racism does, in fact, exist in Happy Valley.

In addition to our strong news presence, I am proud of the tremendous growth that the Collegian experienced this past year. We not only expanded our Science and Technology section from one page per week to a six-page stand-alone section each week, we also added an Arts in Review section to Thursday issues.

Keeping in mind that the most important people to a newspaper are its readers, we took several steps to elicit more audience participation. At the beginning of last semester we decided to include a daily announcement on Page 3 that encouraged readers to suggest story ideas. Also, in an attempt to encourage more reader participation, we decided to include reporters' e-mail addresses underneath their bylines.

With all these accomplishments under our belt, in addition to the countless awards and recognition that we received, I cannot express how proud I am of the hard work and dedication my staff displayed.

I have faith that the next editor in chief, Jill Leonard, will continue to improve the Collegian's news content and presentation, as well as its presence in and relationship with the community.