Today’s paper marks the first of many created under the leadership of the 140th Managing Board of the Yale Daily News. We are humbled and hopeful as we begin our journey at the helm of the Oldest College Daily. All of us — reporters, columnists, designers and artists alike — assume this responsibility with respect for the News’ storied past and optimism about its bright future.
We begin our tenure in a new and rapidly changing climate, one in which trust in journalism is at a historic low, our politics are increasingly polarized, and news outlets operate under the shadow of accusations of “fake news” and “alternative facts.” We acknowledge now, more than ever, the importance of an honest and accessible Yale Daily News.
Journalism that values authenticity and attention to detail is of utmost importance as Yale, and, indeed, America, finds itself at an inflection point. Over the past year, we’ve seen Yale admit the largest ever class of first years, the name of Calhoun College change to Grace Hopper College and the country elect a new president. We’ve reported on the ground from the presidential inauguration, the women’s marches in Washington, D.C., and New Haven and the construction of Yale’s two new residential colleges. Reporters have ventured into the city to investigate and break stories about its unions and local protests and looked within our campus to doggedly cover University life and leadership during times of extraordinary transition.
As a board, our mission is to grapple with these defining moments as students and as journalists. We embrace this challenge and look forward to continuing the honest, fearless work of our predecessors while we make the News our own.
We aren’t starting with a blank slate. We will inherit the News’ history, but we will also shape it. While our roots are in a print publication, we look forward to bringing the News further into the digital age by enhancing our online and multimedia presence. We will pick up where last year’s managing board left off, working toward a more accessible News by continuing both to build up the Yale Daily News Foundation Stipend Program and opening the doors of 202 York St. a little wider. Though the makeup of our staff and of our coverage has diversified over time, we know there is more to be done to make the News a home for everyone. Inclusion is a priority for all of us and a goal we are committed to working toward.
This is the job we are setting out to do, but it is not a job we choose to do alone. Content and community go hand in hand, and the value we place in our work is immeasurably enhanced by the people we meet along the way. If you are already involved with the News, we are so looking forward to sharing these moments and memories with you. To those who are not, we invite you to join us.
Our invitation extends past the New Haven Green and beyond the pages of our print edition. As a paper, we are committed to more comprehensively covering the city we call home and to amplifying the voices of those who have not always been present on our pages. As a board, we are eager to build and strengthen our relationships with each other and with the community at large.
Today’s paper is the first step of a journey that will be at once unpredictable and deeply rewarding. The path ahead is daunting but inspiring, and it is wide enough for all of us. We look forward to taking these steps together.