La Ventana is the yearbook of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The student media organization began its publication in 1925. As one of the oldest traditions at Texas Tech University, La Ventana serves as the school's primary source of recorded history. Its mission is to produce an outstanding depiction of the life of TexasTech students in an accurate, appealing and innovative manner with broad coverage, in-depth stories, dynamic photographs, tight organization and creative design. La Ventana operates under the direction of an editorial board made up entirely of Texas Tech students. This group oversees the student staff. Student Media advisers oversee the activities of the yearbook; however, content is determined entirely by the student staff. La Ventana is printed each spring semester and distributed at the end of the spring semester.
History
Beginning
The first volume of La Ventana was edited by James Biggers. It began in 1925 and was published in 1926 for Texas Technological College, as Texas Tech University was known at the time. The name was chosen in keeping with the university's Spanish-themed architecture, which was also reflected in the name of the student newspaperThe Toreador and in the name of the football teamThe Matadors. The words la ventana mean "the window". As the premier volume states:
Growth
The first color photos appeared in the book in 1933. Progress continued until the beginning of World War II. During the war years, it focused on victory themes, shrank in size, and re-used some older photos to fill space. Following the war, growth resumed and, by the 1950s, La Ventana was up to an average of 500 pages. In 1959, La Ventana went to a magazine format, with the book divided into sections mimicking national magazines such as Post, Sports Illustrated, and Life. The different sections represented different aspects of life at Texas Tech. Sports Illustrated focused on campus sports. Life looked at college life in general and Post covered honor councils and student government.
The La Ventana yearbook is made by a student editorial staff consisting of an editor-in-chief, copy editor, multimedia staff, and graphic artists. Although student ran La Ventana is managed by two advisors, Sheri Lewis, Associate Director/Media Adviser and Andrea Watson, Assistant Director/Media adviser they do not control the content but instead make suggestions and provide valuable resources to the student media staff.
