So once again fee payment has come and gone.

All of us have waited in lines, filled out forms, waited in more lines, begged, borrowed, and stolen our way into yet another semester of school.

Did you happen to take a look at your fee assessment as you were writing out checks and handing over every maxed-out credit card you own?

No, this isn't about the raise in tuition, although if you turn over a few pages, some of my very best reporters have examined, quite admirably (but don't tell them I said so), the 10 percent tuition hike.

No, I talking about the student government fee.

$35.

Every semester.

Now I don't pretend to understand what all that money is used for; but I do know what 7 percent of it gets spent on.

It pays my salary.

Well, not all 7 percent goes to that—I wish, but no dice.  No, that's the Sun Star's budget.  Every semester we get 7 percent of your $35 student government fee.

$2.45.

Every semester.

Loath it or love it, read it or don't.

And I bet you thought the Sun Star was free.

Well since you're paying for it, you might as well use it, right?

I'm assuming, since I don't have telepathy, that if my thoughts are now permeating your brain, you must be reading the Sun Star—and that's a good start.

But why stop there.

Drop us a line.  Tell us what you think.  Let us know how you want to see your money spent.

Every year the Sun Star gets a whole new Editor, a whole new staff.  And every year we try out new stuff.

We experiment.

We make mistakes.

We learn.

And, occasionally, we get something right.

Let us know!

We've been toying around with a new look for the Sun Star.  I think it looks great, but I'm admittedly biased.  Over the next few weeks we'll be trying out some new content, some new designs.

Maybe you've noticed, for instance, the calendar is done topically instead of by day.  I think it makes it easier for you to find activities you're interested in. 

But what do I know?  You've got to tell me if it works or not.

We've added, at least what I think are, some really great features like the word search and the horoscopes.

Do these do it for you?  Could we use that space better for something else?

You see, if we don't get any feedback we just assume everyone loves what we're doing.

If you don't, you've got to tell us.

Or if you do, you can us that too.

Just talk to us.  We're listening.

We owe you that.  Without you, there wouldn't be a Sun Star.

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