Instead of "J.T.G." and "K.J.S.," the Weather Vane’s editorial comments next semester will be signed "S.J.V." and "K.D.D." Rising sophomores Sara Versluis and Kevin Docherty will hold the keys to the ‘Vane office and to the power of the student press.

After recommendation from this semester’s co-editors, juniors Jeremy Good and Kristine Sensenig, Weather Vane Faculty Advisor Richard Benner recommended Versluis and Docherty to Language and Literature Department Chair Ervie Glick and Undergraduate Academic Dean Marie Morris. Both Glick and Morris approved the appointment.

Versluis and Docherty have invested considerable time into working for the paper this academic year. Versluis first served as a staff writer and then took on the task of editing the Style pages. Docherty started out working both as a staff photographer and staff writer and is currently editor of the News pages.

The editors-to-be are beginning to formulate their vision for next semester. "I’d like to continue working with the technological aspect and continue to improve [it]," said Versluis. Docherty explained that, while he doesn’t foresee any major changes, he wants to continue to move the Weather Vane along in its development. "Weather Vane has come a long way and been through a lot of changes. Formatting and layout have improved dramatically," he said.

"This semester it was frustrating to see [that] people weren’t really interested [in getting involved]," said Docherty. "It has so much opportunity. Too many people just pass it up," he explained.

"We want to make it exciting both to read and to write for the ‘Vane," commented Versluis. She hopes to work at maintaining a diverse, strong and dependable staff base.

"The newspaper is the student voice on campus," Docherty observed. He pointed out that in the past year the Weather Vane brought to light several topics that the campus needed to address. "If the Weather Vane didn’t exist, [students] wouldn’t know about what is going on behind the scenes of their education." Versluis added that, in addition to keeping the student body informed, the paper "creates a forum where voices can be heard through different media."

"I have every confidence that the new editors will continue and sharpen the Weather Vane’s function as an independent voice of the EMU students, free of censorship from the administration, but responsible and accurate in its coverage of news, sports and issues," said Benner. "With their experience on this semester’s Weather Vane, [they] have proven their journalistic savvy to carry on the proud tradition of the student newspaper as it gives in-depth coverage of campus events, represents a diversity of student viewpoints on its opinion pages and probes student issues in its editorials," he commented.

Good pointed out that "they both have a good sense of humor, which is helpful in this job."

Currently, Versluis and Docherty are on the search for next semester’s staff.