o, what's new?"       This is a typical offhand greeting you might expect from a friend or colleague you run across on a fairly regular basis. And just as typical, your response would be something like, "Not much, how about you?" followed by a brief exchange of news and friendly good-byes before you each head off on your respective way.       In the publications office here at Syracuse University, however, no one these days dares ask anyone else what's new. For if you do, you're guaranteed an hour-long earful of "new" so overwhelming you'll find yourself staggering back to your desk in a haze of information overload.       What's going on? Plenty. For the past several months, Syracuse University Magazine, along with all other University publications, has gone through an intensive evaluation process that grew out of an institution-wide strategic communications plan developed by SU's Public Relations department and adopted by Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw.       At the heart of this evaluation was a single concern: How could we better serve our readership in reporting on the myriad initiatives under way—cutting-edge research on a new weapon against AIDS; introduction of a long-anticipated Ph.D. program in composition and cultural rhetoric; hugely successful campus-wide career services programs that help SU graduates land jobs—as Syracuse strives to become the nation's leading student-centered research university?       The answer came in several parts.       First, we changed our approach to developing feature articles. Our features used to be topic driven, meaning a topic of interest to a writer or editor was proposed, approved, then filled in with the appropriate University sources. No more. Now feature article ideas are selected based on their University connection, and highlight individuals, programs, and services key to SU's continued success.

Second, we realized we had to do a much better job presenting the latest news on the various units that make up SU. To meet this need, we revised the "University Place" department and expanded it to include stories on each college, as well as non-academic units, in every issue.       Third, we realized we needed a more consistent presentation of student-, faculty-, and research-centered stories. So we created three new departments—"Student Center," "Faculty Focus," and "Research Report"—to appear in every issue and present engaging stories on individuals and research projects unique to Syracuse University.       Finally, we recognized that it was important to maintain our coverage of alumni news and information, and so we combined alumni news items, class notes, and alumni profiles into one section of the magazine, rather than scattering this information throughout the publication.       You now hold in your hands the results of all these changes. Flip through the pages, read the stories, and see what you think of the new Syracuse University Magazine. We hope you enjoy our expanded coverage of all things SU.       This fall we plan to mail out a comprehensive reader survey to gauge your reactions. In the meantime, feel free to drop us a note with any comments or suggestions. And, of course, we're always interested in hearing about what's new with you.                     Jeffrey Charboneau                      Editor