Things are definitely not how we expected them to be this semester. Although we are all eager for life to return to “normal,” the COVID-19 virus still runs rampant.
Case numbers continue to rise nationwide and healthcare workers are overwhelmed. Our campus has not escaped the effects of the pandemic. Within the past few weeks, we’ve seen a rise in quarantine numbers, changes in masking policy and a temporary move to online Vespers, convocations and other worship events.
With all these changes, the Southern Accent team is dedicated to keeping you informed. We continue to report relevant news stories on campus and in Collegedale. In an effort to increase Collegedale and Hamilton County coverage, the Accent is increasing its Twitter presence. We are following and retweeting announcements from the City of Collegedale, the Hamilton County Health Department and others.
To keep up with recent journalism trends, the Accent has also been transitioning to a digital first strategy. This means that although we still have print newspapers, we have been moving our content online for the past few years. We will continue to publish news stories on our website, southern-accent.org, before the printed paper is distributed.
Considering the transition, we are accepting web and social media advertisements this year. Ad inquiries are being addressed by our ad manager, who can be reached at studentadmgr@southern.edu.
In our printed format, you may have noticed some layout changes. We moved Collegedale News under News to make room for another section. In collaboration with Counseling Services, the Accent has added a Mental Health section to address the needs of students on campus.
Our staff consists of over 20 people. We promise to take our responsibility to be a reliable news source seriously, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve you as your student newspaper. Enjoy the first issue of the 77th volume of the Southern Accent.
