Eastern Echo: First spring issue and upcoming investigative stories

Today was the day our first spring issue hit the stands and it is such a great issue! The news section really worked it out and have some great stories about campus safety, criminals, and everything else. Good stuff.

I was really excited for this issue because it's my first issue as opinions editor. It was nice seeing my name with everyone else's. But I can see some things I need to work on - for writing the staff edit. But overall, the writing of this issue was superb.

Articles I would Read:
Review of Spider-Man 3. I saw it and Rick Kunz is so right on. He critiques the movie correctly. Great article.
Campus safety article. The Echo will be doing a lot of these articles until problems are resolved on campus. Since that's so uncertain when that will be, look for many other articles to follow.

Leading me to...
The Echo is currently working on investigative pieces about the stolen University keys. The rumor is that they were stolen in summer of 2005. It's so hard to get information, though, because not many people have it, and the people that do, aren't willing to give it up. I talked to Mark Higbee and he had some good speculation about what went on. The staff edit for next Tuesday's issue will focus on the keys, as well as an in depth news article. This is a really interesting topic that people need to know about.

Additionally, I want to clarify some issues about a column I wrote last March.
Link to the column:
(Apparently, our server is down right now, I will post the link later)
It was in the March 16 issue and it was about how I do not personally believe that all campus information should be available to the public. I still stand by my opinion as the core of it has not changed.
However, I want to clarify that I do not believe we should know if someone has died, been raped, items stolen, etc. If a purse was stolen from the Rec center, I think we should know it (or be able to know it, which everyone can because police reports are public property and can be viewed at Pittman Hall). However, if campus officials know who the person is that stole it, we shouldn't know it.
How this doesn't make sense to others, I don't know, but I respect your opinion if you don't agree.
I realize that the Eastern Echo isn't as widely read as say, the Detroit Free Press, however if I printed the name of the person who stole something, there's a likelihood that person would read the article and flee the area. If, for example, I had known (which to clarify I didn't and I am not privy to this serious of information) that Laura Dickinson's death was not innocent and there was a chance of foul play, I don't think we should print that either.

A NOTE: While these are my opinions, please be rest assured that I do not make these sorts of decisions for the Echo. In fact, I am sure I am the only one at the Echo who feels this way. Additionally, I comply with the Echo's rules, even when it is against what I believe. My opinions do not affect my work and what I should be doing.

So I hope that helps to clarify what exactly I meant in that column.

Echos will hit the newsstand every Tuesday from now until June 26th. We'll resume regular issues in September.