It’s January, 2009 and a new semester has begun. As students continue to brace themselves against the biting U.P. winter, many of them are grappling with the promises they have made to themselves for the new year. Here at The North Wind, we have done the same.

Though we are a couple of weeks late, here are our New Year’s resolutions:

1. We resolve to put more effort in investigative journalism.

It is first and foremost the job of a newspaper to be the watchdog of the community it serves. Readers of The North Wind deserve to know what is truly happening in the world they live in. They deserve to know all sides of the story, presented to them as objectively as possible. They deserve an accurate, timely news source they can trust. The North Wind will continually strive to report on stories that matter most to students on this campus.

2. We resolve to include more diverse columns in our Opinion section.

The opinions of our own staff are well-known to us and may come as no surprise to you, the reader. What we want are fresh faces and fresh opinions. We want more Letters to the Editor, whether they are criticisms or encouragements. We want columns that provide insight into issues we may have never even considered. We will whole-heartedly welcome, and listen to all opinions brought to us.

3. We resolve to more accurately represent student life in all its aspects.

It’s easy to cover the big events on campus, whether those events are speakers, concerts or theater productions. It’s harder to find smaller, less funded and advertised events. But that doesn’t mean that these events aren’t important to the student body. All aspects of college life on campus should be looked at, and The North Wind promises to bring more of these events forward.

4. We resolve to be a better news source for NMU students.

At any newspaper across the nation, there is always something that can be done to improve it. The North Wind is obviously no exception. Whether it is being more accurate in reporting breaking news or something as simple as fixing typos, the staff is always looking to better ourselves as reporters and better the publication we present to NMU students every Thursday. It gives us some small sense of satisfaction to know that we attempt to provide the best publication possible every week.