A Letter from your new Editor in Chief

By Andrew Ta     4/9/15 6:02am

Dear Readers,

My name is Andrew Ta, and this is the second issue of the Rice Thresher for which I am Editor in Chief. I began my tenure with the Trasher, and look forward to repeating its success for issues to come. As a Jones College junior majoring in biochemistry and cell biology, I definitely have what it takes to serve the paper well. In all seriousness, I have worked for the Thresher for three years, transitioning from staff writer to news editor during my freshman year. I hope to accelerate the Thresher’s transition to modernity while refining what lies at the core of the paper: accurate and timely investigative reporting.

In the age of Yik Yak and Snapchat, when social media reports and hearsay are taken as fact, the Thresher’s job to dispel rumors and clarify misconceptions is more important than ever. One of my goals as Editor in Chief is to more quickly publish quality articles on relevant topics. I will work with a new online editor and developer to increase online and mobile content delivery. At the same time, I am looking to transform the Thresher website into one that can better facilitate campus discussion.

---

---

This past year, the Thresher has worked to gain your trust as a reputable news source. The paper has helped increase awareness of issues such as controversial Honor Council spending, Title IX incidences and Rice’s attempts to address sexual assault. Joined by Managing Editor and Will Rice College sophomore Yasna Haghdoost, who has previously led the news section with me, I will deliver the respectable and relevant journalism Rice deserves. In addition to quick and accurate reporting, we aim to focus on in-depth pieces that will clarify under-reported campus issues, and look to maintain coverage on topics of interest to readers.

Within the Thresher, in order to facilitate worthy content and drive readership, I plan to grow and develop a sustainable staff through increased revenue generation and a greater focus on recruitment and retention.

Through dialogue and strong relationships with groups such as the Student Association, college presidents and chief justices, Honor Council and the University Court, the Thresher will bring perspective to issues of student governance. I look forward to both working more closely with student organizations and administration and providing a critical and unbiased voice on important subjects.

This will be an exciting year and I’m eager to earnestly begin. If you ever have any thoughts or criticism regarding the Thresher, I’m always open to discussion. Stop me on campus, or shoot a message to thresher@rice.edu.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ta

---