Daily Illini plans to share student voice

Since our editorial on Friday, we have received a lot of feedback about our opinion that students were unaware and apathetic about University issues. We’re glad we received so many reactions.

As members of the student body, our Editorial Board needs to hear your opinions and to help us put issues into perspective.

Our mission is to serve the students and to provide coverage about things the students care about. We are proud and thankful to be proved wrong.

We in no way intended to belittle the student body but to ask students to engage and participate more actively in the University community in regards to issues surrounding the Board of Trustees and the admissions controversy.

People incorrectly perceived the intention of Friday’s editorial. In part, that may be because of its severe tone ­— a voice not intended to offend or insult. We did not approach the issue or our readers properly, and even more importantly, we over generalized and accused the entire student population.

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The lack of concern we complained about is not something we see amongst all of our readers but an audience that’s very difficult to reach. Our words were ones of frustration.

We acknowledge that all students, regardless of whether they read The Daily Illini, do not lack concern or intelligence. You deserve respect and honesty, not snide comments or underdeveloped sarcasm.

We have felt the consequences of not being your voice, your connection and your source.

However, our initial point still has merit; our campus hosts a community of some of the most intelligent and creative students in the country. Students get involved on campus every day. Therefore, it was shocking to see a small number of students appear at the Board of Trustees meeting.

That may not mean they don’t care, but nonetheless, we were surprised. It can also be disheartening to see a group of students, who have opinions, feel their voice doesn’t count or their stance won’t have an effect, and therefore, they don’t speak up at all.

We hope you don’t feel this way because we know you do care, and we want your voices to be heard.

After all, we are students as well, and in the bigger picture, we are on the same team. We will never again isolate you but will strive to come together and take strong stances that represent the student body in the best way possible.

But it’s difficult for us to represent the student body if you don’t speak up. We have and will continue to strive for covering news and events that matter to students. We encourage students to speak up and let us know exactly what those concerns might be.

As an editorial board, we want this page to be an open dialogue between us. We want you contributing and telling us what’s important to you and how you feel about campus issues. What’s important to us may not be important to you, but we won’t know until you tell us.

That’s why we changed Friday’s Opinions page. Instead of the page being dedicated to our staff’s opinions, Friday’s page is especially yours.

Your voice matters. Your opinions count.

Friday’s page is an entry point for you, and we want you to take advantage of it.

We aim to be a megaphone for student concerns, but we need your help. We appreciate hearing your voices and are excited to have a more open conversation with you.