So much about today is new.
It's a new semester. We have new students. We have a new head football coach.
Welcome back to Gainesville. Welcome back to school.
Welcome to a new-look Alligator.
If you haven't already noticed, the Alligator you'll find in our orange racks looks a little bit different.
We decided to get a makeover for the first time in almost 10 years. It's been a long time coming - about nine months - and our staff is extremely proud of our finished product. Needless to say, this is our baby.
We wanted to, as always, keep the readers in mind as we set about this makeover. We wanted to please your eyes and draw you into our stories. We hope what you see before you does the job.
Working on this massive edition and seeing it placed on the page with the design changes was as exciting a moment as any of us have had, but we realized that it wasn't just about being aesthetically pleased.
This is signaling something more.
As student journalists, we spend inordinate amounts of time studying not only the mechanics of gathering the news and serving it to you, but also the preferences of you, the consumer, when it comes to finding the news.
In this age where physical newspapers are seemingly becoming more and more archaic, we know we have to make adjustments. It's not just about the ink on your fingers anymore; it's also about the keyboard and screen you now rely on for news.
Keep an eye out this semester for a new focus on our online presentation. We plan on engaging readers like we never have before, whether it be through our Facebook page or through our tweets. It's clear that our audience is moving with the times.
We don't plan on getting left behind.
That's not to say that we are going to shortchange our print edition. This redesign gives us a chance to stretch our legs in a few ways. On some pages we have more space, and on others, we sacrificed some space to improve visual elements. There's a more uniformed style across sections.
To go along with our refocused mission to improve our online presence, we will advertise our website more prominently (note the URL directly underneath the logo). On many occasions, we will be directing readers to www.alligator.org or to our social media sites to find out more about the stories we report.
We want you to know that we feel the tremendous weight of the responsibility we have. We are your student newspaper, and we will strive to serve you and provide you with the best news you can get.
If you ever have any concerns about your community, whether it be on campus or in the City of Gainesville, let us know. We want to make sure we're reporting on the issues that matter most to you.
One quick turn to page two and you'll find all of our names and emails on the masthead. Don't hesitate to drop us a line when you have something to say.
And if you think you can contribute to the Alligator by writing for us, stay tuned.
In the coming days, we'll announce the date of our open house where we'll welcome anyone crazy enough to want to get involved in our daily grind.
We'll be here with big smiles, ready to accept resumes, writing samples and hugs.
And, of course, we'll have pizza.
Elizabeth Behrman is a journalism senior and editor-in-chief of the Alligator. Josh Isom is a journalism senior and managing editor / online. Joey Flechas is a journalism senior and managing editor / print.
