Last Wednesday, amid the bustle of production night, I was asked by our entertainment editor, Diana Benanti, if she could use the word “douche bag” in an article.

I should have killed it right then.

But instead, thinking the word far less offensive than many of our readers and friends have reminded me that it is, I told her she could run it.

I apologize for this poor decision.

Although Ms. Benanti should have known better than to use such a word (it is both inappropriate and unimaginative), it is my fault for explicitly approving its use.

As a result, I will be docking myself one week’s payment. For her part, Ms. Benanti must now submit anything she wishes to print in The University News to our managing editor, Nicole Puhl, and me for our personal approval.

My staff and I have also strengthened our commitment to make sure everything we publish-especially reviews and commentaries-meet our standards for taste as well as substance.

I thank those of you who took the time to call our attention to this mistake and would encourage you to remain vocally critical of The University News if you have qualms with this paper in the future.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ivers

Editor in Chief