Editor's Letter

Dear Readers,

As you may have already noticed by the logo on the cover, we have officially changed our name to The Uproar. Last semester, we started to seriously consider a name change after revealing how “The Saber” has Confederate origins. Our school mascot used to be the rebel, as in a Confederate rebel. The paper was named “The Saber,” most likely referencing the saber that a Confederate cavalry officer would be issued. Changing our publication name is something we have considered for a long time. In fact, two years ago, our former Editor-in-Chief, Stone Ray, decided to repurpose the name to mean “sharp, cutting edge news.” But as I mentioned earlier, we eventually came to the conclusion last semester that we need to change our name entirely. Having a publication name with Confederate origins is simply problematic. Our university is one of the most diverse in Georgia, and we wanted a name that serves the student and faculty population of today, not yesterday’s. After throwing around a number of names, I came up with “The Uproar,” which alludes to our current mascot. Secondly, it has another meaning, “a public expression of protest or outrage;” this definition from the Oxford English Dictionary is fitting. Like former Editor-in-Chief Ashley Peterson said in a recent article, sometimes change requires a loud and uncomfortable dialogue. Aside from that, there is another major announcement: I am now the Editor-in-Chief, as you may have figured out from my language about Ashley. I’ve worked for the university paper since my first semester at CSU, and I am very excited to now be at the head of the publication. As someone very passionate about social issues, I hope to continue to illuminate concerning problems at our university, as justice is a moral imperative for me. Additionally, I hope that our publication can continue to inform and entertain during these trying times. On this note, we have decided to make our February issue another Black History Month issue, after last year’s proved very popular with students and faculty alike. The issue includes a review of the Black Lives Matter protests from summer, the history of redlining in Columbus, the Schwob Black Student Union, and more. Thank you for reading—stay safe and healthy!

- Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson