News

The 2022-23 academic year presented students with a different set of challenges from previous years. For most students, the past year has offered what might be described as a “return to normalcy” as the COVID-19 pandemic crept deeper into the backs of our minds, and campus sprung back to life. For us, this was an exciting time to cover events that may not have happened or been fully realized in the past three years — and to reflect on how some things have forever changed in COVID’s wake.

During the fall semester, the news section was spearheaded by co-editors Emily Toro and Christa Dutton (now editor-in-chief). Under their leadership, News covered the fight for contract workers’ wages, the university’s use of social media monitoring and the effects of rising inflation. In November, now-Print Managing Editor Breanna Laws and an anonymous contributor wrote “My family would be in danger” — reporting on the risks many international students faced when they hung posters of protest in campus buildings. Then, when the results of the Campus Climate Survey were released later that month, a devoted team of reporters analyzed, contextualized and reported on the data to make it more accessible to students.

In the spring, News covered the university’s first ConsentCon, the inner workings of on-campus housing costs and the debate over new questions raised by ChatGPT. In February, staff writer Eli Leadham reported on how Asian students grappled with gun violence during a time of celebration. News also covered many of the cultural celebrations that highlight the diversity of our campus, from Black History Month to Holi. In March, News Editor Maddie Stopyra reported on the intersectionality of Women’s History Month celebrations on campus. 

News also kept up-to-date with Student Government — covering a variety of new bills and legislation such as the new judicial branch and student organizations branch. Online Managing Editor Aine Pierre covered a February Senate meeting where members of the Student Government voted to pass a resolution calling on the university to hire a Hindu chaplain. After Student Government elections concluded in April, Stopyra wrote “Student Government leaders reflect on their terms” — highlighting the efforts of the Student Government during the 2022-23 academic year. 

But these reflections would be incomplete without mention of the gun violence that threatens the physical and mental well-being of students across the country. We are fortunate that we haven’t had to report on lost classmates — but the specter of gun violence has made itself frighteningly clear with the police response to reports of shots fired at Reynolda Hall earlier this month and at Forsyth Tech last month. 

We’re proud of and thankful for the diligent reporting of each of our writers — both returning and new — and we look forward to the stories we’ll tell next fall.

Sincerely,

Maddie & Daniel