Dear Reader,

When I was five, I began publishing a weekly called The Hohmann Times. I phoned up family and jotted down dispatches from cousins, aunts and grandparents. I didn’t break any major stories, except that we were having Pot Roast for dinner. But this venture sparked my interest in journalism and impressed upon me the value of the news.

At Stanford, I have found my calling in the offices of The Daily. Now, in my first issue as Editor-in-Chief, I am leading a newspaper that tells the stories of what I believe is the most exciting and dynamic institution of higher learning in the world.

This is the University’s newspaper of record. It is a watchdog, a storyteller and occasionally an igniter of campus conversation. It is also where I’ve met my closest friends. I am proud to admit that I have spent more time in The Daily’s office than in class, but don’t tell my professors. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting out a paper every day, more exciting than breaking a story or more fulfilling than explaining a complex issue in a way everyone can understand.

Our most valuable asset is our reputation. When you read an item in The Stanford Daily, you should be able to count on its veracity.

Last week, The Daily failed you with the squash story. There was a conflict of interest and fabrication of important facts. Thankfully, my highly capable predecessor acted decisively. The editor highlighted in the story will not participate in The Daily this volume.

Effective today, there will be zero tolerance for ethical transgressions. The Daily has adopted a clearer anonymous source policy, clarified its restrictions on manipulating photos and instituted newsroom-wide ethics training. We will work overtime to gain and maintain your full trust.

With my name at the top of the masthead, I am responsible for all content in the newspaper. I take on this obligation with the utmost seriousness to ensure that you can depend on what you read in these pages.

The Daily will better cater to our online readers. Our stories will be infused with more multimedia, and the Web page will be more interactive. Watch for some exciting features to be rolled out in the weeks to come.

We are debuting Page Two, a compilation of a calendar and fun, localized features. Monday Mayhem will stress campus arts and style. Photographers will be given more autonomy to pursue high-end photojournalism. Our editors will solicit op-eds from prominent members of the community. We will cover more varsity sports on campus. There will be a more compelling mix of news, sports and opinions on the Front Page. The Daily is the newspaper for the entire University, not just undergraduates. We are actively recruiting new staff from all corners of campus.

As the premier source for Stanford news, we are committed to being responsive, fair and transparent. My office door will always be open; I typically work from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings. My desk line is 650-725-2100, extension 501. And, to prove that I’m serious about being reachable and approachable, my cell phone number is 651-331-6553. I will always answer emails (eic@daily.stanford.edu). From today on, The Daily will print the email address of each reporter at the bottom of every story. And, of course, you can continue to post comments on our Web site.

If you have an idea for a story you’d like to see in the paper, let me know. If you ever have questions about anything, contact me. And if you want to write for the paper, please shoot me an email.

I speak for all of the more than 150 people involved with our newspaper when I say we will do everything in our power to bring you the best paper we can every morning.

Sincerely,

James P. Hohmann

President, Editor in Chief

The Stanford Daily, Volume 231

January 31, 2007