There are many reasons The Minaret is energized about the 2007-2008 school year. At the University of Tampa, the new year features brand new buildings with more dining options than ever, a new four college structure, and a freshman class composed of more students than any in the school’s history.

Though we’re excited about all of these and many other changes going on at UT, it is to this last group that we’ve decided to primarily gear our first issue of the year. We’ve tried to put together a few helpful tips that those of us on staff wish we would’ve known coming into our freshman year. Both unknown places to hang out off campus (hopefully everyone knows one of those cherished freshmen with a car!), and little discussed shortcuts and available services on campus were documented by the experiences of our staff members through our “A to Z” list on page six and our “Best Of” map on page eight, respectively.

For those in our incoming class with a sporting outlook, be sure to check out our Sports section for an introductory lesson to a major part of our campus, Spartan sports. Pages 10 and 11 feature a concise history of sports at the University of Tampa, and our back page will let you know how our teams did last season and are looking for the upcoming year.

We also tried to highlight a couple of key news items that are relevant for new students. The changes in the Student Code of Conduct should be understood by all students, not just freshmen; but they are especially important to know for those just coming in. Visit our website at http://www.theminaretonline.com for more information about the alcohol policies and procedures that are being geared toward the freshman class for the first time this year.

This issue is therefore a condensed version of our regular newspaper, which comes to newsstands every Friday morning. We believe it is representative of our regular newspaper, with a commentary, arts and entertainment and sports section, only this week it is geared to articles in those sections which we hope new students can find advantageous to their first weeks on campus.

Another improvement at the University of Tampa this year, and one that The Minaret will be reporting on in the coming weeks, is the result of the Security Study Group committee’s report to President Vaughn this past summer. Many changes have been made regarding the nature of security on campus. The Minaret will bring you the details in the coming weeks, but for now we strongly recommend that students look over the SSG committee’s report findings-it is accessible in its entirety under the “Campus Safety ‘ Security” course on Blackboard.

Students that have additional questions about the many changes occurring on campus or the process of transitioning to college life in general should feel free to contact The Minaret at minaret@ut.edu, or stop by our office in Vaughn Center 211. Last year, some of our very best writers were freshmen, and we certainly expect the same to be true this year. In addition to writers, we are looking for copy-editors, web designers, anchors, photographers, graphic designers, marketing majors and other talents. No experience is needed.

Last year was a year of unprecedented growth for The Minaret, and the freshman class was a huge part of that success. Needless to say, with the new freshman class having the highest average GPA and SAT scores in our institution’s history, we are thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with the freshman class and build on our growth during our 75th year as a news organization on campus.