Photo via University Communications

Welcome to the first issue of second semester. This is bittersweet for me and more than half the staff, as it marks our, god forbid, final 12 issues. If ever I have been in denial about anything it is our impending graduation which, prior to about two weeks ago, was a fictional point in time conceived by the registrar that would eventually come around when pigs learned to fly or a reality TV businessman became president. Though I’d rather see the former, the latter had manifested in full force.

Timelines aside, I hope that returning to campus after our well-deserved break has been invigorating. The sense of activism that is present amongst our students, faculty, administration, and staff is exciting and I can’t help but feel proud of our community. During the MLK Day Service a couple weeks ago, Shaun Whitehead urged us to “come on in from the cold, come on in from the outside.” The snow continues to pile on this campus, but the support and discussion I’ve overheard and participated in since returning to school has corroborated a growing warmth and, perhaps, a resurgence of inclusivity to beat back whatever storms we have to confront.

Today, it was reported that St. Lawrence University Alumna and current Republican Senator from Maine Susan Collins ‘75 is planning to vote against Trump’s appointment of Betsy DeVos to Education Secretary. The days leading up to this announcement saw SLU students sharing petitions, office phone numbers, and encouraging one another to call the offices of Republican senators who had not yet made a decision on DeVos’ nomination. At printing time, it is not definite whether or not she will be confirmed, though the deciding vote will likely go to Mike Pence and her out-of-touch perspectives will accompany her new position in President Trump’s Cabinet. But SLU students will not stop calling or marching or writing, and I hope that our alumni will continue to hold fast to their beliefs to inspire current students and those entering the workforce in the not so far future.

As always, we will report the news and welcome student voices. This semester, we’ll continue to look to happenings and events in the greater Canton area. We also hope to feature more of our professors and alumni, both of which are so crucial to shaping our experiences here. In the meantime, our pages are blank without you. Write to us, we’ll always write back.