Yesterday for the 87th time, the Houston metropolitan area’s largest institution of higher education began a new school year.  Some traditions remained constant, like the sea of students swarming between campus buildings, the long lines snaking around the campus bookstore and the confused look of new, disoriented faces trying to navigate an unfamiliar maze of learning.

But at the university’s main student publication, there is a sign of the times.  The University of Houston’s Daily Cougar has reformed itself into The Cougar, and has fully transitioned to daily digital publication, and will appear weekly in print.  Here’s more from Cara Smith, Editor-In-Chief…

In 1928, The Cougar became Houston Junior College’s  student publication, to later become a daily publication. After roughly 50 years of tirelessly serving the UH community, The Daily Cougar is no more, as you’ll notice our masthead is 33 percent smaller and 100 percent different. It’s 2014, and there’s a new tradition to get excited about—the return of The Cougar, and the first year of what this has all been building up to.

[…]

The switch from operating as a daily print paper to a print weekly, digital daily publication has been in the pipeline for a couple years now. In large part, it’s a result of changing trends in how readers gather and process news. We’ve completely overhauled both our print and web products, both of which will report on the news as well as the kind of news you care about in creative and compelling formats. Be sure to bookmark thedailycougar.com on your browser, as we’ll still be delivering high-quality content seven days a week.

As the Houston Chronicle points out, this transfiguration of newspapers shouldn’t be a surprise, as it is taking place across the country at all levels of publication.  These are students after all… one has to assume that their experience with news is already more in line with The Cougar than its past predecessor.  If you are reading this, the same can probably be said for you.

Change is always difficult, but as long as there is an outlet to foster good journalism and writing at the University of Houston, the community will soldier forth. I for one will continue to hold The Cougar as a predominant news source for UH, and the Alumni network.