April 18, 2013 at 1:35 AM

When The Free Lance made its debut in 1887, its portrait of student life at Penn State wasn’t really that different from the place many of us know today.

Sure, The Pennsylvania State College — still a few decades off from earning its “University” distinction — was just getting a new mechanical engineering course.

The “base-ball club” played a few games against neighboring schools, and a “tennis and athletic association” was only recently getting off its feet.

The campus library grew by a mere 500 volumes that year — today, Penn State University Libraries boast more than 5 million.

Even then, Pennsylvania’s legislators had the school “in a sweat regarding the long-hoped-for appropriation.” The school was looking for new ways to expand its academic programs, and the football team “frequently asserted itself.”

But for the first time, students were hearing all about this in a publication put together by other students — something the editors of The Free Lance agreed was long overdue.

“To our Contemporaries we say we are glad to join the ranks,” they wrote. “We say ranks, because Student Journalism is surely a fixture of the American university.”

As we celebrate The Daily Collegian’s 126th birthday today, it’s pretty cool to be able to say our campus lived up to those initial hopes.

Our newspaper has grown up a lot since then, and so has Penn State.

The Collegian is more than just a newspaper, for one, and it’s no longer the only student voice — today, joined by Onward State, Valley Magazine, Phroth and others.

That voice, depending on which outlet you’re turning to at the moment, might be serious or satirical or something in between. In one place, you might hear more about the latest in student government or crime reports; in another, more about what’s going on this weekend.

Even on the same issues, we each offer a different perspective. And students are better off for that.

I’ve never known a Penn State with only one student voice trying to tell this school’s stories — and, really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Something tells me William P. Fisher, Jr., and the rest of the editorial staff 126 years ago would have felt the same.

January 10, 2013 at 4:00 AM

Hey there,

In today’s edition of The Daily Collegian, you saw the news about this year’s flu outbreak, a post-sentencing hearing for Jerry Sandusky and some changes to ANGEL’s maintenance schedule, among other things.

We have some more to share with you as you head into this weekend, though — and we’re calling it P.S., a nod to a former weekend Collegian publication of the same name.

On Sept. 17, 1973, the cover story was a view inside the State Correctional Institution at Rockview — written by a 42-year-old Penn State student who had served several years at the facility. Other issues featured everything from a “survival manual” for bike owners to a “Campus Cookbook” to an analysis of the path forward for the “State College By-Pass.”

A few decades back, Collegian readers were told to go to P.S. to “start the weekend right,” and our goal here is the same.

Like its recent magazine predecessor, Venues, P.S. will still tell you the lineup for entertainment at local bars, and you’ll also still get a rundown of other events you might want to check out during your days off.

But we hope the stories inside also serve as diversions in their own right — an up-close look at an interesting character in the Penn State community or stories focusing on the things that matter outside of your life as a student Monday through Friday.

This week, you’ll meet a student who spends plenty of time hanging out with her 11-year-old friend from home — a horse named Lulu. You’ll also find out when to expect the New Year’s “resolutioner” crowds to start dispersing from area fitness centers

So this weekend, here’s what else we have for you. Check back next Thursday and every week after for more.

Signed,

The Daily Collegian

(P.S. — We hope you like it.)

December 3, 2012 at 6:30 AM

If you’re viewing this on your mobile device and you haven’t yet had to scroll to the right to keep reading this line, we’re glad you made it this far. And we hope you are, too.*

(*If you’re still having trouble reading this on your device and you’re accessing this link via Twitter or another app, try opening this page in Safari or another browser.)

Today, we’re excited to officially introduce the Collegian’s iPhone/Android app and our newly formatted mobile site.

When you’re away from a computer and can't get to a newsstand to pick up a print edition, you’ll be able to turn to our app to keep up with the latest Collegian coverage of local news, arts, sports and other sections. You’ll have access to special deals from local businesses, found under the “Offers” tab in the lower left corner, and there’s also a built-in QR code reader, found under “More” in the lower right corner.

Even if you don’t have an iPhone or Android device, staying up-to-date on Penn State news is as simple as turning to collegian.psu.edu. There, you'll still be able to use the same commenting system found on our traditional website, and you can search through several years of online archives from your phone — all in a format that's much easier to navigate than before.

We do know what many of you are thinking: It’s about time. We understand how frustrating it's been to open the Collegian website on your mobile device, only to find unscalable articles where reading the whole story meant lots of extra swipes across your screen.

We also know we leaked part of the news about our new mobile features a few weeks ago, and we can explain. At the time, our app was live on the iTunes and Android markets to allow for testing and other measures before our official launch. The earlier announcements about our app via Twitter were a bit premature, and we were still cleaning up some parts of the app’s functionality. But this time when we say it’s ready to use, we mean it. 

Now, our new mobile formats should mean you won't have to worry as much about the work that used to accompany keeping up with the Collegian on-the-go and can instead focus on what really matters: the news itself.

And whether you’re reading this on your phone or you’re on a computer and plan to check out the new features later, we hope the only extra scrolling you'll be doing from now on is to read through to the bottom of our stories. 

Let us know what you think about these new features, and feel free to contact [email protected] with questions or other concerns. We'll do our best to address any lingering technical issues as quickly as possible.

October 29, 2012 at 5:09 PM

We’re not taking the day off, but we want to let you know you won’t find a copy of The Daily Collegian on campus Oct. 30. You will, however, still find us here. And here. And here.

It’s not a decision we arrived at lightly, though today it became increasingly clear that Hurricane Sandy’s path through the Centre County area could pose serious safety risks to those responsible for making sure our newspaper arrives on stands each day.

On most days, the Collegian is sent to press late at night to be printed at the Lewistown Sentinel. The trip there — a drive that often starts at about 3 a.m. — takes 45 minutes each way, on a good day, and requires travel over fairly steep terrain.

While it’s still difficult to predict the extent to which hurricane-like conditions will be felt locally, we understand there’s a potential for the weather to become severe heading into the night. With this in mind, we want to avoid asking anyone to risk safety by making that round-trip trek to Lewistown or to face dangerous conditions outside while distributing copies of the Collegian early tomorrow morning.

Though a traditional print edition won’t be on stands tomorrow, we’ll still have full news coverage — Hurricane Sandy-related and otherwise — online. We’re putting together a PDF edition in place of the one that would have been distributed on campus tomorrow, and that should be available later tonight.

A team of staff members has been working throughout the day to post frequent updates online, and we’ll do our best to keep you as in the loop as possible when it comes to campus advisories, notices about the availability of Penn State facilities or event cancellations, important safety information and more.

June 12, 2012 at 12:01 PM

Call me old-fashioned, sure — but I stand by the idea that there are certain moments that deserve to be documented beyond narratives told in 140-character bursts or minute-by-minute updates alone.

This is one of those moments.

You weren’t supposed to find us on newsstands today. Under a normal schedule, our print edition shouldn’t have returned for the summer until June 27. But this isn’t a normal year.

Until now, our coverage of the Jerry Sandusky trial since the end of the spring semester has been online-only. This has its advantages, not least of which is the ability to provide real-time updates on the most important developments in the case.

But we also wanted to note the start of this trial — an event that’s been preceded by seven of the most pivotal months in university history — in a way that could serve as an all-in-one reference as the trial unfolds.

That’s where this print edition comes in. We hope you find the information inside helpful in making sense of the case moving forward and reflecting back on what’s happened up until this point. Inside, you'll find reports from the first day in court, as well as other content for reference as the case unfolds.

You can continue to follow along with @dailycollegian on Twitter and collegian.psu.edu for updates until court proceedings are over. At that point, we’ll publish another edition to mark the end of the trial.

The way we see it, the Collegian's been here for 125 years to record history as it happens at Penn State. This year, especially, was no time to fall short on that.

June 9, 2012 at 2:57 PM

The newsroom is usually dark this time of year.

The computers and printers get to take a few weeks off. The buzz of reporters punching away at keyboards and editors checking in on deadlines falls quiet. A few stray coffee cups and court documents might remain scattered on the desktops, but for the most part, the office is at its tidiest.

As students prepare to pack up and take a break for the summer during the final days of the spring semester, so does the Collegian — or its print edition, at least. Once our last daily issue hits stands, our coverage turns digital until we resume printing at the beginning of the second summer session.

And in any other summer, that would have been the case.

Last week, a small team of us assembled back in State College to cover jury selection for the Jerry Sandusky trial and prepare for opening statements slated to begin Monday. We’ve been bringing you updates on the latest developments in this case through collegian.psu.edu, @DailyCollegian and our Facebook page, and we’ll keep this up throughout the course of the trial.

But we also wanted to stay true to our roots as Penn State’s newspaper of record. That’s why, on Tuesday, you’ll find the Collegian back on newsstands with a special edition documenting the first day of the Sandusky trial. The issue that goes to print will include reports from the first day in court, a guide to the trial and other content related to the case. We know most of you are away for the semester, so we’ll also have this available online in PDF form.

After Tuesday, you can turn back to our coverage online for live updates until court proceedings are complete, at which point we’ll deliver another edition marking the end of the trial.

All year, our student staff members have made it a priority to ensure that we're reporting this story as thoroughly as possible. We hope you'll continue to turn to us for comprehensive coverage — no matter what medium.

June 7, 2012 at 11:09 AM

Think you’ve got something to say? We want to hear it.

We’re switching up our editorial page a bit, and we’d love for you to be a part of it. The Collegian has welcomed weekly guest columns from students, faculty, staff and others in recent semesters, touching on everything from THON policy changes to the elm trees on Old Main lawn. Now, we think it’s time to give these “guests” a permanent home on the page, Monday through Friday.

We’re looking for students with sharp writing skills and a sharp take on issues happening at a campus level or beyond. Maybe you’re the token political buff among your friends. Maybe you’re always searching for deeper meaning behind the latest memes. Maybe you’re the one all of your friends turn to when they need advice they can trust. We’re looking for thoughtful conversation starters – no matter what topic.

Columnists will be asked to contribute one column per week during our summer edition of print publishing, which runs from June 27 to August 8. A more specific schedule, in terms of deadlines and what date each columnist's pieces will run, will be finalized after reviewing interested applicants.

This opportunity is open to all current Penn State students. To apply, please complete an online application. Applicants should also email a resume, at least three writing samples and a sample column to [email protected]. The sample column can be on any topic and should be 500 to 700 words in length. Completed applications are due by 3 p.m. June 15.

Any questions? Feel free to send me an email.

April 18, 2012 at 9:15 PM

I hope I look this good when I turn 125 years old.

To celebrate The Daily Collegian’s quasquicentennial, we’re trying on mom’s high heels and pearls, so to speak. Our look today is a nod to the semi-weekly Penn State Collegian of the 1920s, the predecessor of The Daily Collegian.

Your student newspaper has evolved quite a bit since The Free Lance hit stands on April 18, 1887. The beauty of a daily newspaper was always that tomorrow offered new opportunities. We didn’t have to wait longer than 24 hours to upgrade our product. Now, in a 24-hour news cycle, journalists literally can improve by the second.

For the next 125 years, the Collegian will constantly change, adapt and hopefully surpass industry standards, because this is the best way we can serve you, our readers.And while 125 years of change have made the Collegian the award-winning daily newspaper that it is today, what hasn’t changed can’t be overlooked either.

I’d wager that The Free Lance newsroom was much like that of your Daily Collegian — filled with endearing, yet neurotic, nocturnal and over-caffeinated students who can’t remember the last time they ate or thought an oxford comma was kosher. We continue to cover every student government meeting and campus event with zeal, so our staff is ready if a national story rocks Penn State, much like it did this year. Our students’ fundamental beliefs in the core principles of ethical journalism — truth, fairness and public service — ever endure.

So here’s to another 125 years.

December 1, 2011 at 4:00 AM

We know it’s Thursday and you might be looking for Mounting Nittany.

Based on the current situation and mood at Penn State, we have decided to remove the column for now.

We also wanted to use this opportunity to explain why the column has been absent for the past two weeks of publication.

During the week of Monday, Nov. 7, the opinion page evolved as quickly as the story surrounding the scandal at Penn State, often by the second. Mounting Nittany would have run

Nov. 10 — the issue that chronicled the removal of former Penn State President Graham Spanier and former football coach Joe Paterno.

Instead, the Collegian ran three opinion pages that day: a full-page editorial and two filled with letters to the editor, reflecting the influx of community input.

The following week, Kristina Helfer decided that based on the tone of her previous columns it would not have been “respectful to those who have been affected by sexual assault” to write the column on the scandal or sexual assault.

August 22, 2011 at 4:00 AM

1887 was an exciting year at Penn State. Not only did the football program kick off (with a team that went 2-0), but The Daily Collegian’s predecessor, The Free Lance, hit newsstands.

To better serve you, our readers, and to celebrate our 125th birthday, we will be making some improvements to your Collegian this year.

First, you probably noticed the line of text across the top of page one: “1887 Celebrating 125 Years 2012.” This will become a mainstay of your 2011-12 Collegian.

We’ve also given a facelift to the Collegian’s website: collegian.psu.edu. We’re going for a more sleek, professional look, as well as making it more user-friendly.

As the year progresses, please let us know what you think about the Collegian’s upgrades. I promise, there are many more exciting ones to come.

125 years later, so much has changed at Penn State — but one thing hasn’t: The Daily Collegian, your Daily Collegian, is here to serve you.

We’re here to bring you the most relevant, up-to-the-second news that will impact your life. Pick up the paper everyday. Find and interact with us on Facebook and @dailycollegian.

Here’s to another 125 years.

-Lexi Belculfine.