There’s an old newsroom adage, “There is no such thing as a slow news day, only slow journalists.”

For the next 16 weeks, I promise you there will be no slow news days.

These are historic times for the UA. Along with the requisite tuition hikes, student government elections and the madness of March, this semester will also see the selection of the next university president.

As President Peter Likins passes the torch to his successor, issues such as class availability, financial aid and the fundamental direction of our institution are at stake.

The issues are many, and each of them impacts you, which is why the Arizona Daily Wildcat remains more committed than ever to bringing you campus news.

Every day, your campus and world will be changing, and the staff of the Wildcat is well qualified to tell you how and why. Your lives are varied and quickly changing, too, which is why the Wildcat will strive to remain relevant.

Whether we’re selling ads, taking photos, writing stories or planning our coverage, the more than 100 students working at the Wildcat do all they do with one purpose in mind: serving you. You’re that important to us.

Associated with the UA in name only, the Wildcat is an independent student newspaper, which means you can count on clear, accurate facts free of the fog of bureaucracy.

You can also count on the Wildcat to continue to write its own check, as not one cent of your tuition or fees pays for our operation.

This fall, you told the Princeton Review that we were the best college paper in the country. Along with that honor comes the responsibility to prove it. Believe me — we’re ready to.

In addition to the Princeton Review honor, the Wildcat regularly receives awards for journalistic excellence, including a recent third-place finish in a national competition that pitted the Wildcat against some of the best student papers in the country.

Current writers, photographers and editors have received regional and national accolades for their work, meaning that the paper and the people who create it each day continue to perform at the high standards you expect.

Along with that excellence, you can expect many features to return to Wildcat pages today, where you’ll find our opinions section (pages 4-5), Police Beat (page 7), sports (page 17) and the crossword and Sudoku (page 28) in the same fashion as you did this fall.

Tomorrow our weekly arts section, Go Wild, will unveil a new look combined with a new approach to covering weekend entertainment. The section will include more reviews of CDs and movies, and will continue to cover campus arts and entertainment.

Our front page has changed only slightly, as we’ve moved the weather up front and added an index. The changes were made so that you can access the information you want first. Quick Hits is back as well, giving you the important information you need to navigate your day.

Should you visit our Web site (www.dailywildcat.com) you’ll find a new look that allows for less scrolling and easier navigation. Throughout the semester, the Daily Wildcat Online will be exploring ways to augment our print coverage with additional photos, commentary and Web-only content.

The changes to both print and online publications were made with you, the reader, in mind.

So as you read the Wildcat today — hopefully not while you’re in class — you’ll find a product that has been created to meet your needs and stay relevant to your life.

With the busy semester ahead, the Wildcat will do its best to stay on top of what’s happening on campus, working hard to keep you informed. We invite you to keep up.

Aaron Mackey is a senior majoring in journalism and English.

He can be reached at editor@wildcat.arizona.edu.