About The Undecided

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ANCIENT HISTORY

Former editor, Björn Billhardt says:

The Undecided actually "existed" before my time, only it wasn't called The Undecided, and it wasn't really serious either. It was more like the e-mail newsletters all Plan II students now get.

So in 1994, Elizabeth Souder ran for Editor of these "Plan II Newsletters," which were usually a one-page, hand-layed-out collections of announcements each month or two, and she asked me to help her with production. I was really into layout at that time, and so I agreed. She also had Tara Pellenberg, and a couple of other luminaries help her with the thing.

We started to brainstorm a little, and decided that Plan II needed something better than tiny little handouts, if it really wanted to attract and retain top-notch students. Elizabeth first wanted to call the new literary journal/newsletter The Circus, because Kinky Friedman, Plan II alum (now famous) once said that "Next to running away with the Circus, Plan II is the next best thing to do with your life."

We all thought that was pretty nifty, but I had a better idea: namely to call it The Undecided, which was really a good title, if I may flatter myself a little. So anyway, we all worked on it throughout 1994-1995, at which point I really got involved and wanted to make The Undecided something special, so I ran for editor in 1995-1996, together with Jonathan Blum and Jawad Salah, and we attracted some freshmen like Manfred Wellington, Aleks Schekter, and Drew Harris to be our slaves. It all went from there.

RECENT HISTORY

In 1996, Drew Harris, James Houston, and Julian Martinez, took over the editorship of The Undecided. They envisioned it as a more robust paper, with more articles, news, and creative writing. They drafted Joel Tropp and Sara Galvan to help. Joel and Sara redesigned the newspaper and took charge of the layout. In January, 1997, Matt Valentine joined the staff. The paper received another redesign, and Matt began to give the creative writing section a magazine format. In March, 1997, The Undecided reached a small milestone with the publication of its first 12-page issue. A short issue was also sent to all incoming freshman.

Sara Galvan, Joel Tropp, and Matt Valentine became the new editorial triumvirate in August 1997. They decided to substantially change its focus, hence the new descriptor, feature magazine. The paper also received a redesign. With the first issue of Volume IV, The Undecided Online was also born to reach out to prospective students and alums.

THE FUTURE

This year, each issue of The Undecided will be twelve or sixteen printed pages. There will be regular columnists, and a monthly contest for the front page article. One issue this year will be printed in full color. Advertisements will begin to supplement the funds received from the Plan II Students' Association.

Eventually, we hope to supplant The New York Times as America's premiere journal.

The Undecided is the feature magazine of the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Send questions, comments, and submissions to undec@www.utexas.edu.

Disclaimer: The Undecided is published by the Plan II Students' Association, a registered student organization. The Undecided is not an official publication of the University of Texas at Austin and does not represent the views of The University or its officers.