Around mid-semester, Jordan Larimore made the announcement to The Chart staff that he would be stepping down as editor-in-chief after landing a job that may kick start his career. While he remains on staff as senior editor, this did leave a vacancy that needed to be filled.

The decision to move yours truly in to the position of editor-in-chief was basically expediting a move that was slated to happen in the fall semester.  The leadership and adviser Olive Sullivan had already laid the groundwork for staff changes after some staff members, including Larimore, would be graduating this May.

The question that has been asked of me several times is, what does this new leadership mean for The Chart

Obviously with any leadership shift, change is inevitable. Some small changes will be seen as we close out the issues of this semester; however, in honesty, there is a learning curve that I must go through to understand the duties and requirements asked of the editor-in-chief.

The bulk of changes will take place next year. The last two editor-in-chiefs have come from a sports background. I do not. My emphasis is photojournalism. As a result I envision a shift into hopefully more stunning photos as well as a constant progression forward in terms of design.

That’s not to say that sports will be lost. It will be entrusted to sports editors with a stronger passion than me for the subject.

I have no intention of claiming all the glory for myself. A leader is only able to accomplish a given mission because he trusts in the abilities of those he leads. It is my desire to encourage ownership of The Chart with those who seek to be a part of this publication. If you love something, you will want it to succeed, where as if it is a job, you will treat it as such and this typically means doing the minimum.

I know this is asking a great deal from students who already juggling classes, jobs, family and social obligations. However, we all have this passion in common and I hope we will support each other as the need arises.

I look forward to the future of The Chart with excitement and a bit of nervousness. This position is a great deal of responsibility and there are times I know I will let people down and upset people. Regardless, I will try to be as fair and respectable as I can.

Finally, I would like to wish the outgoing editor-in-chief good luck in his endeavors wherever they may take him. Jordan Larimore has become a good personal friend and taught me a great deal, and I thank him for is advice.