Today’s print paper is our 37th — and final — of the semester. After many late nights, unspeakable amounts of Jo’s sauce and far too much coffee, our regular production for the spring has concluded (though we’ll still publish occasionally online over the summer).
Just over three months ago, we sent our first newspaper to the printers — along with our first editors’ note. Since then, computer science teaching assistants have unionized, RISD facilities workers successfully struck for higher wages and student activism was rekindled on campus, with organizing reaching pre-pandemic levels. Jo’s announced it would be getting a new smoker — coincidentally, right around when a bunch of dead fish showed up out of seemingly nowhere on Providence’s sidewalks.
A team of editors and writers worked to compile an interactive map of Thayer over time, and we got to know the newly admitted class of 2027. Our reporters dived into data on the gap between women and men in admissions at Brown and examined the backgrounds of corporation members. Our coverage in special issues and throughout the semester focused on Black History Month and Women’s History Month both on and off campus.
Our Diversity and Inclusion Committee worked to make our office more welcoming — while helping staff report on the Brown and Providence community equitably and intentionally.
Our new office manager, Cary, ensured everything ran smoothly, while dozens of new staff members joined The Herald’s community.
We zhuzhed our office space at 88 Benevolent Street and held get-togethers paying homage to Nicki Minaj and the indie sleaze moment of the 2010s, but failed to schedule a kickball game with the Indy. (Next semester, we promise!)
We got oddly familiar with the animals of College Hill — notably, bunnies and bats — and subjected our staff to hyperpop and “Sneakernight” by Vanessa Hudgens at late hours. We sustained ourselves off of late-night joffee (Jo’s coffee), the sweet tunes of The Chicks and endless mozzarella sticks.
We certainly weren’t perfect in our coverage — but we learned so much about Brown and Providence. And we had the privilege of watching our staff grow and learning from them at once, making us better reporters, editors and people.
The summer will bring news, both expected and unexpected. We look forward to covering it and returning refreshed for the fall, ready to serve our readers and continue adapting The Herald for a digital world.
Editors’ notes are written by The Herald’s 133rd Editorial Board: Will Kubzansky ’24, Katy Pickens ’24, Alex Nadirashvili ’24, Augustus Bayard ’24, Caleb Lazar ’24, Peter Swope ’24 and Kaitlyn Torres ’24.
