This semester certainly has gone by pretty fast, and I can't believe that this is my last column of the school year (of course, if you have already read David Baugher's column on this same page, you already know that I will be back next year as The Current's Editor-in-Chief).

It has been a semester of great change for me personally. I started this semester as a volunteer sports writer. I became the managing editor because the position became available (and I was the only one stupid enough to take it). And now I am going to be the next editor starting May 17.

I want to thank David Baugher for giving me the chance at the managing editor's position. David has taught me a lot over the past semester as far as the paper's inner workings and how to [not] deal with people (just kidding, Dave).

I also want to thank the staff. You have all been terrific and I expect more of the same next year. This paper will only lose a few people to graduation and the core of our staff is intact. So UM-St. Louis, you should expect bigger and better things from our humble publication next year.

Readers can begin to look for more color photographs. In the past, The Current could only do one color issue because of cost constraints. But the printing cost has gone down, so look for color issues involving Expo and Homecoming, as well as Mirthday.

The news department will have more well-rounded coverage of a variety of campus organizations and events. The Current will no longer be the SGA weekly.

Features and Sports will be bigger and bolder next year.

Our web page will be even bigger and better. Look for exclusive web columns and a countdown to the millennium chronicling UM-St. Louis' history as the twentieth century comes to a close. Also, don't forget to visit the web forum and speak your mind about politics, sports, or the SGA.

The advertising department will continue to grow and prosper. Without the ad department, we don't have a paper (thanks for all of your hard work Tom and Mary).

The paper even has the Missouri College Media Association's staff advisor of the year in Judi Linville. She is a remarkable lady and a great teacher, and I am grateful she will be back with us.

Though we have almost everyone coming back, there is one person who is leaving us who will be sorely missed. She is Pam White.

Pam doesn't write any articles for us, and you won't see her picture in the paper next to a column (although her picture would look a lot better than my current column photo), but without her this paper would not be possible. Pam is our business director. She makes our budget, and she does all of our purchasing. Pam has done this job for four years without any fanfare, but I am commending her now. We'll miss you, Pam.

To the rest of the staff who is coming back: I look forward to a great year. Finally, I invite any of our readers who are interested in joining us in a writing or non-writing role to give us a call or stop by, and we'll do our best to accommodate you.