As we begin our reign as the two new Editors-in-Chief of the Delphian, I think we can speak for the whole of the staff when we say that we are completely surpassing our expectations from the beginning of this year by leaps and bounds. After our "little old newspaper" was featured as part of the $1,000 question on Jeopardy last week, I think we can safely say the Delphian is finally getting some respect. It seemed to be a long and at times slippery climb but we are finally at a point where we feel we have finally earned some respect from our community. We are on our, but we are not "there" yet, not by a long shot. That's where the readers come in.

Honestly, at least two or three times a day a fellow student will approach one of us on campus and talk about a story idea or a complaint about a campus policy. After listening for a few minutes our response is always the same: write something for us and submit it. Sometimes, this wish comes true, but more often than not these student story ideas do not evolve past their mere suggestion.

The fact that these stories are never submitted sincerely depresses me because I believe that they can make the Delphian just that much better. Need we remind the Adelphi Community that the Delphian is "the voice of the students." Without your voice, we will cease to progress further.

Part of the problem seems to be that some students don't know how to get published. They don't understand exactly where their article would lie amongst the general scheme of the newspaper. Sometimes these story suggestions just seem to be fleeting ideas with lack of direction. For example, a student recently told us, "ever since the strike was resolved, I don't see smiles in the registrar's office anymore. I thought this whole thing was about the students." When the student was told to write an opinion piece about this sentiment, the student shied away, saying it wasn't a very "developed" idea. The student should be reminded that the idea might work as a letter to the editor.

If you're a student who has an opinion about something but doesn't feel comfortable writing it as a newspaper article, another option is to send it in as a Letter to the Editor. Recently, it seems as if the University's professors are utilizing this option more than students. The Delphian is the voice of the students; there is no reason why our newspaper should not be filled with student opinions every other week.

We hate to make this editorial sound like shameless self-promotion, or mere desperation, but we just feel a need to put my foot down. There are no more excuses. We know each and every one of you has an opinion of Adelphi, now it's your time to express it, whether it's through an opinion piece, a satirical piece, a cartoon, a news story or just a simple 200 word letter to the editor.

The time has come for the Delphian and Adelphi University to continue to advance. We started with baby steps and we have since followed with a brisk jog. We now need to sprint to the top. I hate to put this burden on each and every one of you, but it all starts with you and your opinions. So stop your complaining and pick up your pens, or your laptops, or any of your other instruments of creation and get to work! The results will amaze you.