Wait a minute! Isn't the Voice Box supposed to be written by a student?

Absolutely.

Then why is the director of publications writing the first Voice Box of the season?

Good question.

The director of publications (that's me) is writing it because, despite an all-out effort to find a student to pen this month's column, no one materialized. Granted, most students were away for the summer, and by the time they returned, it was too late to meet our deadlines. But even in May and June, we asked a fair number of students if they would be interested. Each said no.

Express your opinions, write for the Voice Box. We are interested!

Allow me to digress with some background history. When I became the director of publications in March 2001, I began to ask Juilliard faculty, staff, and students what they thought of The Journal; what they liked—and disliked—about it; how they thought it could be improved. Some students with whom I spoke said that they didn't think The Journal was their paper. It didn't address their concerns, care about their opinions.

I thought to myself, "If students think we don't care about their opinions, let's dedicate a spot in each issue exclusively for them to voice their concerns." So the Voice Box was born. Here was a chance for those who had protested that The Journal wasn't their paper to make it more their own, to express opinions about matters ranging from school-related topics to issues of more global import. Given the complaints I'd been hearing, I believed students would relish having such an outlet. I thought they'd be knocking down our door to contribute. (Call me idealistic...O.K., naive.)

Now, back to why I'm writing this column. When it came time to begin production on this month's Journal, we faced a dilemma. What should we do about the Voice Box? This wasn't the first time it had been so difficult to find a writer. In fact, throughout last season, it was an ongoing, painstaking effort. What were our options? 1. Stop running the column altogether; 2. stop trying so hard to find writers each month and run it only when we got decent, unsolicited contributions; 3. open it up to the entire community so it's no longer exclusively a student-written column.

Personally, I'd like to see the Voice Box remain a student-only opinion column that runs on a monthly basis. I'm reminded of what Ed Klorman, a viola student, so eloquently wrote in his Voice Box last May, when he addressed the issue of student-administration communication: "It is incomprehensible that students complain about the administration's lack of interest yet fail to respond when the administration seeks to learn their opinions."

So... once again, I issue this plea to the student body: Express your opinions, write for the Voice Box. We are interested! I understand that when the school year is in full swing, classes, practicing, rehearsals, and performances become all-consuming. But the collaborative process we hear so much about at Juilliard exists on many levels. Come collaborate with us, the folks who bring you The Juilliard Journal each month.

This is an exciting time for the paper. It has grown by leaps and bounds. In addition to columns introduced last year, such as the CD review column Discoveries, the Alumni Spotlight, and the monthly cartoon/drawing, this season we inaugurate two more columns: Juilliard Portraits, revealing pictures-in-words of faculty and staff members; and Career File, Derek Mithaug's monthly musings on career development issues. We've also redesigned the newspaper, giving it a whole new look. But more exciting than any of that for me would be to have you, the student body, filling this space with your words. If you'd like to discuss it, drop by my office in Room 465, or e-mail me at publications@juilliard.edu.

I wish everyone a rewarding and productive school year.

Voice Box is a student opinion column appearing regularly in The Juilliard Journal. To submit a column for consideration, please e-mail it to journal@juilliard.edu with “Voice Box” in the subject heading, and include a phone number where you can be reached. Columns should cover topics of interest to the Juilliard community, and be about 500 words.