At a college media outlet, little is set in stone. Editors graduate, focuses shift and even office buildings change.

One of the few permanent fixtures of The Hatchet is also one of the most important pieces of content we produce: the staff editorial.

Each week, this piece – housed in the opinions section – conveys the position of the paper on a particular topic. We use our knowledge from closely following issues and regularly speaking with campus leaders to add unique, in-depth analysis to the conversation.

We try to be the voice that is able to step back, point out patterns and provide context for readers. This means understanding events, policies, factors from the past, possibilities for the future and situations at other universities across the country, and incorporating all that information into an informed opinion.

Staff editorials are some of The Hatchet’s most meticulously produced pieces because we know, when we get it right, that we are sometimes able to effect change.

Our writing helped push administrators to remove a time limit on filing sexual assault complaints. It has contributed to a dialogue about counseling services, and has tried to help dismantle the stigma around mental health issues at GW. And after extensive research and hours of interviews, the editorial board endorses candidates for student leadership positions.

Under the direction of opinions editor Robin Jones Kerr and contributing opinions editor Sarah Blugis, the editorial board consists of managing directors Justin Peligri and Jenna Bernick, sports editor Sean Hurd, culture editor Emily Holland, copy editor Rachel Smilan-Goldstein and design editor Sophie McTear.

You’ll notice there are no news editors in that bunch – that’s because the board operates separately from the newsroom. This ensures that the objectivity of news-producing staffers is never called into question.

On top of that, if we ever decide to write about a topic with which an editorial board member may have a conflict of interest, he or she must step out of the room. You can tell who contributed to an editorial by reading the blurb at the bottom of each week’s piece online, or by looking at the asterisks accompanying our names at the bottom of the opinions page in The Hatchet’s print edition.

But our voices aren’t the only important ones on campus. A healthy debate will never happen if we’re the only ones talking. Class of 2018, as you join the GW community, know that public discussion is a vital way of making change happen, and The Hatchet is a great place to start.

Write us an op-ed. Write a letter to the editor. Send them to [email protected]. Apply to become an opinions writer and contribute regularly. And we love it when you tweet at us or comment on our Facebook posts.

You can expect a great deal will change over the course of your four years here, and every new decision deserves your commentary and feedback. New buildings, including District House and the Science and Engineering Hall, will get their floors dirty for the very first time. Health and counseling services will move to the heart of Foggy Bottom and the Mount Vernon Campus. The Corcoran College of Art + Design will become a part of GW.

However you do it, stay aware of these events, stay active in these conversations and stay engaged with your college.