The newspaper is printed weekly during the fall and spring semesters, for a total of 24 issues a year, and is written, edited and graphically designed by Missouri Southern students.
The newspaper falls under the university's department of communications and offers credit hours, along with hands-on experience, to students on its staff.
Though owned by and receiving partial operations funding from Missouri Southern, The Chart's editorial content is selected, written and edited entirely by student staff.
The Chart primarily focuses on campus news, sports, events, people and issues, but coverage also branches out to community, state, national and international stories.
Many state legislators and college and university presidents read the newspaper in the 1980s and 1990s for the latest information on Missouri s higher education.
Past editors traveled to China, Latin America, Germany, France, Japan, Cuba and Russia, and upon their return, have produced award-winning news supplements and magazines.
In its early years, The Chart had numerous faculty members serve as advisers to it and it fell under the jurisdiction of the English department.
Chad Stebbins (1960-), who graduated from Missouri Southern in 1982, took on the role as adviser in 1984 and continued the legacy of success that had been instilled by Headlee and Massa before him.
Stebbins' close watch of The Chart continued until 1999, when he was promoted to be director of the university's Institute of International Studies.
In so doing, The Chart will strive to become an instrument for peace and create for its readers, particularly for the students of Missouri Southern State University, vivid notions of the horrors of war.
Ron Martin — Retired Editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jack Brannan — Retired, United Press International, New York Stock Exchange, Tulsa World Pam Johnson — Executive Director, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, University of Missouri; Former Executive Editor, Arizona Republic; Kansas City Star, where she shared the Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse Tony Feather — Missouri-based American political consultant for the Republican National Committee and Republican candidates who specializes in direct voter contact.
Christopher Clark — Associated Press Rick Rogers — Vice President, Operations, American Consolidated Media (Irving, TX) Jake Griffin — Chief investigative reporter, The Daily Herald, suburban Chicago Noppadol Paothong — Missouri Conservationist Gloria Turner — Former Managing Editor, Joplin Globe John Hacker — Editor, The Carthage (Mo.)