Hitting the reset button is never easy.

When the Communication and Media Studies department (CMS) cut ties with The Observer this past April, we were left without academic support, without advisers and without a definite direction moving for-ward. This decision left students without opportunities to gain practical journalism experience.

Foremost, we took the summer to determine how to cover this situation comprehensively, and above all else, ethically. We consulted with the head of the ethics committee at the Society of Professional Journalists, Andrew Seaman. The final package of stories is a direct result of the tremendous re-search, interviewing and co-ordination of our editorial board.

Additionally, we ad-dressed the most immediate structural parts of the paper left weakened by this decision. Through no small efforts, we have enacted a free-lancing production model supported by workshops open to all students and planned guest events featuring professionals from the industry.

We could not have gotten to this point without the sup-port of the Office of Student Involvement and Dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center Robert Grimes, S.J. They both helped us secure two extremely talented advisers to lead us forward.

Elizabeth Stone, Ph.D. has also been instrumental in helping us get back to solid ground.

To the larger Fordham community, we ask for your patience as we navi-gate through these hurdles. Our entire editorial board is dedicated to seeing this year through and continuing the legacy of the paper that so many alumni helped build.

To our supporters, we cannot express enough gratitude. Our motivation was driven by your continued dedication.

And finally, to the student body, we ask for your involvement and interest. This is your outlet, your paper — a platform dedicated to this campus and all the voices it has to offer. The Observer will only ever be as strong as its contributing members and we extend an invitation to all of our peers to be a part of this year.

Stand by us and we promise that we’ll go far.