Sixty years ago today, Joel J. Gold published the first issue of “The Maneater” on Feb. 18, 1955.

Before that, it was called “The Missouri Student,” a paper originally published in 1926. The new name and leadership under Gold promised a more aggressive stance on reporting and journalism, something the university had not seen before. Since then, The Maneater has striven to produce the best content possible.

For 60 years, under 61 editors-in-chief and at least half a dozen newsroom locations, Maneater staffers have lived by the age-old manifesto: “If you want to keep us out, better bar the door. And don’t try getting rough or screaming ‘libel’ when a Maneater reporter crashes your meetings. When The Maneater gets mad, all hell is going to break loose. You’ve been warned.”

Throughout our existence, The Maneater has served as the main source of campus news and coverage of student organizations and the Missouri Students Association. We have provided coverage of city, state and national news that apply to campus. Recently, we’ve started to focus on long-form and profile stories. We’ve also provided an open forum for students to share their viewpoints and opinions about current issues that affect their daily lives.

The Maneater has changed to fit the ever-evolving field of journalism, winning many awards along the way. From we’re exploring the possibilities of multimedia and long-form journalism, to designing a new website (which has happened roughly six times), Maneater staffers have always been given the opportunity to explore journalism.

Whether students spend one year at the publication or four, The Maneater has provided a family for many of those who have walked through the door, picked up a pitch, designed a page or taken a photo for us. The Maneater has helped students discover their passion for journalism, earn internships and find their voice on a campus that is constantly growing and changing. This publication holds a different place in each staff member’s heart and sticks with them through their alumni years.

While today marks a significant milestone for the history of the newspaper, it also marks the beginning of a new era of journalism and a new era of The Maneater. As journalism continues to progress toward an almost completely digital industry, college newspapers are having to decided whether or not they will continue to print a physical copy. While The Maneater’s recently renovated site is a leader in the pack by being responsive, the print copy is still dear to the staff’s heart.

Who knows what the future will hold for The Maneater? But for now, we can promise you, our readers, one thing: The Maneater will continue to grow as an editorial board and publication. We will continue to serve as the student voice of MU.

But we also need your help and input. We strive to cover every event and issue of importance on campus, but sometimes we miss things — we are a learning paper after all. And although we have a varied assortment of columns every week, we can’t hire every student to share his or her voice. That’s when you come in. Write a letter to the editor; come visit us in G216 in the MU Student Center; email us at editors@themaneater.com and voice your concerns. We’ll listen.