A new section for a new year: How the Opinion Section will be changing in 2010

This first semester has been a long haul for the Opinion Section. The columnists and contributing writers have worked hard to create campus-wide dialogues about student issues as well as national and local politics. In 2010 The Commonwealth Times is going to be taking some progressive steps to take the successes of this section even further. If you have visited our Web site www.commonwealthtimes.com, there’s a good chance you thought it was about as appealing as the stewed chicken at Shafer. Not anymore.

Starting in February of next year The CT will have an all-new Web site, with more multimedia and an easy-to – access archive system that will allow you to review past issues with easy navigation. Likewise as we switch over to this new Web site, our multimedia content will be focused on incorporating you, the student body, into more reports and articles.

The Opinion Section in particular will be undergoing some specific changes, both in print and multimedia. Because of an increased workload, “The Gripe Column” by Chris Adell will no longer be running in 2010. If you enjoyed Chris’ general reflections on political economy and want to read some of his other work, check out his blog: www.smashkan.com. The greatest change the Opinion Section will be implementing next year is that for an hour on each publishing day (Mondays and Thursdays) I will be holding an open forum in the compass outside of the Cabell Library.

The purpose of this forum will be to talk to students in person about campus news and politics, as well as to hear input from people about what they would like to see reported on in The CT. Additionally, there is a video element in development for the Opinion Section, the details of which will be released in January. Right now, at this university, there are people telling you what to do, what to think, and how to go about your life.

While you need these classes and lectures to develop your opinions, you will always ultimately have the right to question and assert your own position on how your community should operate. VCU is your community right now and The CT is what enables you to insert yourself into the campus dialogue. We are facing extraordinary times in this campus, this nation and this world. You (and I mean whomever is holding this paper right now) might not realize this, but right now there is no status quo. There is no inevitable procession of events guiding this country, or this university.

There is no future waiting for you that you do not help create. It is no coincidence that you are here today, with the opportunities that you have and the need to become someone. As we move forward into this new year, it is up to us, this new generation, to determine what kind of nation that the United States becomes, and the role that we play in it. I encourage all students to volunteer some time or resources to the needy this holiday break. It’s no joke that people have been losing their homes and need money, housing, medical care, food and shelter.

This is a time for giving, not just receiving. It doesn’t need to be much, but make sure that if you do celebrate a time of thanks and cheer, and don’t get too wrapped up in the shopping and commercialism that has characterized the season of late. In accordance with the spirit of Chrismahanakwanzakaa I wish all of the student body an excellent winter break and a wonderful new year. Oh, and remember, don’t drink in too much of the spirit, OK?