This past semester, students have exemplified the true meaning of student activism, grappling with hot topics on campus: issues of diversity and inclusion, of sexual assault, of politics. This level of engagement has extended to the Opinion pages, where writers have written on issues that are prevalent both on and off campus.

One of the main issues we saw within these pages was diversity. From multi-week debates about the appropriateness of Hamilton’s production of West Side Story, to the ongoing conversation about Boston Posse (see page 5), to concerns about what it means to be a student of color at Hamilton, writers have surfaced issues of inclusion that are too often swept away with glowing statistics here at Hamilton.

Students have also dealt with politics, including the efficacy and inclusiveness of Common Ground and the necessity (or not) of political diversity amongst professors. So, too, have Opinion writers shown themselves to be engaged with the outside world, contributing articles on everything from Trump’s transgender ban to the student debt crisis to the issue of raising taxes on the wealthy. Our writers argued these issues with rigor and passion, yet remained respectful and focused on the topics throughout. In these pages (perhaps more so than at Common Ground, our writers might argue) one can truly see productive political discussions.

Finally, outrage over the use of date-rape drugs on Hamilton students has led to soul searching from the broader community on the issue of sexual assault and the powerful testimonies of survivors were found in these pages. We thank those who wrote on this pressing issue and hope to see the campus continue to demand change both from itself and from the administration.

As Opinion editors, one of our greatest pleasures is seeing students around campus discussing the issues and articles in these pages, confronting and debating the problems facing our campus that they feel passionately about. Thank you to all our writers, to everyone who submitted a letter to the editor, and to everyone who has engaged critically with the issues discussed here by reading. We hope these pages remain a place for insightful community voice.