The start of a new school year presents an opportunity for new beginnings, and The Vanderbilt Hustler and InsideVandy.com do not escape that truism.

For returning students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents and alumni, the issues that plagued our publication last spring may still be fresh. Freshmen students and other new members of the community are probably unaware of any problems within this Vanderbilt institution.

Last spring, the editor-in-chief committed an ethics violation that resulted in the first dismissal of a Hustler division head in a generation. The episode was disappointingly avoidable, yet it revealed a profound problem with the very workings of the newsroom. There needed to be a change in the very thinking of student media.

The Vanderbilt community deserves a news media establishment that respects the truth. That truth can be messy, it can be unpopular, and it can be contrary to conventional wisdom. It can also be uplifting, life affirming, and a vehicle for freedom and liberal democracy. What truth does not do is bow to the whims or emotions of people. It is resolute and final, and it is the purpose of journalists to respect and revere truth.

What does this new understanding of purpose mean for the Hustler and InsideVandy.com? First, there will be a refocus on the fundamentals of news coverage. With the resource of a 30-plus year newspaper veteran as an advisor, our staff will receive excellent training and re-training in the basics of journalism. The coverage will extend into the realms of religious life, Greek life, the medical center and a host of other topics that comprise our community.

Second, the presentation will be improved. The world of media is constantly changing as the power of the Internet is developed, and our newly redesigned InsideVandy.com reflects an effort to stay ahead of the curve of college and professional media. In the pages of the Hustler, you will find brief stories that inform you more concisely of the important news affecting you, from where to get a bite to eat to the latest on the people and offices that run the university. InsideVandy.com will expand in content and medium on the important news stories of the day.

Finally, this new focus for student media should strengthen our community by providing its members with the most up-to-date and relevant news information. A better informed community is freer and more able to explore its potential. As the official news outlet of the Vanderbilt community, we are humbled and honored to do our part.