Within the next few days, you will likely see plenty of campaign information. In one campaign flier, The Daily Collegian is quoted.

The flier, titled Joe Wakeley for Mayor, quotes The Daily Collegian as saying "Joe Wakeley hopes to incorporate students into local government." I believe this information is misleading, and I would like tell you why.

The quote is from a Collegian article that ran on April 26, 1993. The information quoted is from a subhead (a smaller headline summarizing the article) to the article which reads "Wakeley hopes to incorporate students into local government." The headline to the article is "Mayoral candidates run unopposed in primary."

In 1993, most of this staff at The Daily Collegian could not read a newspaper, let alone write for one. The flier gives the appearance that the Collegian is endorsing the candidate. In fact, the Collegian's editorial board has not yet published an endorsement for either candidate.

Further, the document is misleading because it uses information from 1993 to make a statement about a current campaign. It's disappointing that Mr. Wakeley chose to feature this quote on a card distributed to the students he hopes to soon be his constituents. Use of the Collegian's name like this is not something to be taken lightly.

A Collegian reporter recently asked the candidate about the quote.

"That wasn't meant to be a thing relative to the Collegian," Wakeley said. "It was meant to be me," he said.

"... in 1993, I followed the same series direction for pursuits ... and here in 2009, I am saying the same thing. I feel the same way," Wakeley said. "I was trying to indicate that I was the same person, I wasn't just trying to put forth something to get votes. This is something I did in 1993, and here we are years later, and it's the same."

Wakeley is free to campaign on the same principles, of course. But he's obligated to be transparent with the people he's campaigning to represent. This flier was not. Instead, it comes off as a dishonest political move. And it's unfortunate because it's something that could have been so easily remedied by simply explaining that the information came from a 1993 article and that those campaign principles are still important to him.

Wakeley is seeking the position of a figurehead for the borough. A figurehead does not represent himself in this way. Anyone who campaigns for the mayoral position must be held to a higher standard. Standards of honesty and transparency should not be too much to ask.

-Collegian staff writer Jacquie Tylka contributed an interview with Wakeley to this report.

--Rossilynne

Editor's Note: This is the first in an occasional series about what it's like to report various stories in the Collegian. This blog re-establishes an series started by former editor-in-chief Devon Lash in 2007.

Covering an event as big as Penn State's Homecoming is no small feat. Covering it in the snow and frigid temperatures is even more of a difficult task. Collegian reporters Somer Wiggins, Caitlin Sellers and Samantha Kramer spent the much of their weekends with notebooks clenched in chilly fingertips to cover the Homecoming festivities.

I caught up with Somer (sophomore-journalism) and Caitlin (sophomore-English) once they had time to thaw out and got some information about reporting the events:

Both reporters said they -- like the rest of State College's residents -- were completely unprepared to brave the elements for the weekend. Cold fingertips were the biggest complaint. Writing in a notebook with gloves on is nearly impossible. Notebooks were soaked and pens weren't writing well; apologizing to sources for taking so long to get the pen to write became commonplace.

Overall, they summed up the event with a few words -- cold, hectic and stressful. But they also call it a portrayal of teamwork they're proud of. Each reporter had to rely on her fellow beat partners to compile information and get all the details necessary for interesting, well-sourced stories. And, in the end, they did just that.

--Post by Rossilynne

--Photo by Chloe Elmer

Penn State just got a new friend request -- The Daily Collegian's Facebook fan page. It'll be the more personal face of the Collegian online, highlighting special content, opening the door to discussion and publishing some of our best user submissions.

You'll find we've opened up our discussion forums and comments on the posts -- that's because we want to hear what you think about what's going on at Penn State. We're looking forward to the dialogue.

Ever see that guy on campus who unicycles everywhere? Well, today you can read a full question-and-answer segment and story describing what it's like to be the student atop the wheel.

And every Tuesday for the rest of the semester, you can read about someone interesting and quirky on Penn State's campus on The Daily Collegian's freshly minted "We Are" page. It's a section devoted to you -- the readers on campus who make Penn State unique. It's a place for us to showcase a bit of who "we" here at Penn State "are."

We're open to suggestions about the page and about people to interview, so tell us what you think. There's a space for you to comment below. Or you can call our newsroom at 814.865.1828.

This week, it's a unicycle aficionado and mentor. Next week, it could be you.

--Rossilynne

The Collegian has unveiled a few new blogs and given others a makeover recently.

Sports fans, rejoice. Check out our men's soccer blog "Blogging, Kicking and Screaming" for live blogs from games and extra info about the team, like this week's announcement of Corey Hertzog as Big Ten player of the week. There's also a women's volleyball blog "Can You Dig It?" to fill you in with all the details about the talented team. Our lacrosse blog "Crosse Check" and national sports blog "MAKE PLAYS" have also been re-designed and have a new stamina for posting. Tomorrow, the Icers season officially starts, and our reporters are already updating "Between the Pipes." Check the blog for an in-depth look at what could happen this season.

We've also recently launched "Small World," a blog to tell you all about planning time abroad and to hear about life abroad. So far, Collegian reporters stationed in Sevilla and London have filled us in. And our "It's News to Me" blog is revamped and re-energized, too. This week, read about a lawsuit relating to an exploding toilet -- seriously.

Remember: You're welcome to comment on all of our blogs. Tell us what you think, what you'd like to see. You're welcome to join the conversation.

--Rossilynne

There's always something to look forward to in Sunday editions of newspapers. Most house a prominent feature on the front page, figuring that readers are looking for a meaty story on a day when they're not working and have some time to spare.

We don't publish on Sundays at the Collegian. But this year, we're using our Friday newspaper to feature a centerpiece. Each Friday, you can expect a longer-form story, packaged prominently with a little extra design flair.

This week, football reporter Nate Mink went to Plum Senior High School to see what former Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli is doing while waiting for his next pro opportunity. If you haven't read the story yet, check it out here.

Our goal is to give students the weekend to digest the longer pieces and to showcase a long-form piece of journalism in the newsstands for weekend visitors. Take the time to read them between studying or tailgating this fall. And tell us what you think in a letter to the editor or a comment on this post.

Happy reading.

--Rossilynne

There are computer keys click clacking, sports staffers arguing about the latest Phillies game and about 70 people crammed into a warm basement office.

At the Collegian, it's business as usual in the newsroom.

Staff members are back from summer internships, summer breaks or back again from working at the Collegian during the summer. It's so good to be back.

If you're returning as a regular Collegian reader, welcome back. And to our new readers: We're pleased to meet you.

We've got about 150 student staff members who are dedicated to bringing you reliable news coverage. We publish daily Monday through Friday and 24/7 on our Web site, www.psucollegian.com.

I'll be here to blog about what happens inside the newsroom, what's new in media news and what it's like for reporters to track down big stories.

But if you want to see it for yourself and become a part of your student newspaper, join us for tryouts. Come to the Collegian office, 123 S. Burrowes St., ready with a blue book and a pen.

Collegian reporting tryouts will be held from:

2 to 3:15 p.m. or 6 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1

2 to 3:15 p.m. or 6 to 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2

2 to 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3

Look for an ad in the newspaper with more details. We hope to see you there.

--Rossilynne

You might have noticed something a little different on today's front page. It's that blank box right under the fold on the left side.

Don't worry, we didn't forget a photograph or a story or a graphic.

The box is space for a mailing label so copies of the Collegian can be sent out to thousands of incoming freshmen. A copy of Fresh Start, the Collegian's annual magazine for Penn State newbies, will be tucked inside the newspaper and sent, too.

Fresh Start is the Collegian's formal welcome to freshmen. It includes a campus map, a list of tips on where to study, a packing list, a calendar of events and a list of places to shop.

Within weeks, thousands of freshmen will arrive at Penn State ready for a Fresh Start. And now the Collegian's Editor in Chief blog is starting up again.

The blog will give you a look inside the Collegian's James Building basement office. I'm here to tell you about your student newspaper and media news.

Check out the blog frequently for new posts, but don't stop there. Browse our Web site to read breaking news updates and pick up our other magazines like Fall 101 and Stadium Editions. And, of course, don't forget about our daily publication.

We'll be here to document life in Happy Valley for you. We're here to report what's newsworthy and to give you a forum to discus it.

And I'll be here to tell you how it all happens, starting now.

--Rossilynne

A recent blog post by OnwardState.com addressed the financial situation facing newspapers, especially college newspapers. It's an excellent piece that looks at how some college papers are joining the rest of the journalism industry in terms of financial difficulties.

But there was one part of the post that needs to be addressed:
"If the Collegian finds itself short of funds, then it could always ask the University for a greater subsidy, but the chances of a successful result are extremely low."

This is a common misconception about The Daily Collegian, but the organization does not receive any subsidies from Penn State. Many college newspapers are funded by their schools, but the Collegian is financially independent. It's one of very few independent school papers in the country.

The only money that we receive from Penn State is part of an long-term agreement that sells papers to the school daily, making the Collegian free for you on campus. It also means that, as the editor in chief, I have the final say on all of our coverage, and we do not face any censorship from the university.

Of course, this also means that we are on our own financially. We have a board of directors that meets almost every month to help review our finances, among other things. And, like most other newspaper in the country, we're all trying to figure out how to make more money without making too many cuts.

The board meets tonight (Thursday) at 7:15, and Onward State has already said someone representing the blog will be there to observe the conversation.

We're proud to be an independent student newspaper, and we always welcome questions from interested readers. Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail if you're one of them.

As a native of the Philadelphia area (see: not actually from within the city), I grew up with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Every day, I found it sitting on the kitchen table, the latest Phillies news waiting to be read.

So the last few hours have been quite sad for this Inq junkie. That which all readers knew, but denied anyway, has been verified: The Inquirer is no Highlander.

Because of advertising struggles (like those of every other paper in the nation), the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A statement from the publisher said the newspapers will continue operations as usual, but the damage to morale was done.

It started a few years ago, really. The Inq began using more wire reports for stories outside the tri-state area. In-depth pieces, a staple of reporting, were the next victim as the paper shrank each year.

Readers could have pretended that things weren't that bad. But the bankruptcy filing has made it clear that Philadelphia is as much at risk of losing its newspapers as any other city.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after a bankruptcy filing from the Journal-Register Company, which owns 179 newspapers (including my own county paper, The Times Herald). The company has garnered almost $700 million in debt. It, too, intends to survive.

But it's a gloomy time for newspapers, and Philadelphia is in no way alone.

The Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy last month, and has been planning some drastic changes to its publication. McClatchy, which owns the Centre Daily Times, has also been struggling financially.

It's the end of an era for newspaper journalism; there's no doubt about that. This does not mean the end of newspapers, however. I'm a firm believer that the value of journalism is too much for the public to abandon. There is also a great future ahead in terms of multimedia, a field we at The Collegian are fiercely pursuing.

There's a race taking place across the nation, and every newspaper is running. The finish line: finding a new business model for the journalism industry. It's a unique race in that no one cares about winning; everyone just wants anyone to finish. Plenty of ideas have come and gone; none has stood the test of time and a bad economy.

Now the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News have taken their spots in the race. It will be interesting to see what adjustments are made by these two papers in the coming months. As a journalist and a reader, I just hope adjustments are made soon.

There's bound to be a lot of Phillies coverage this summer.