WHEW! DOES ANYONE ELSE FEEL like the winter break went by way too soon? I barely had anytime to actually decompress from the previous semester, before thoughts and plans for the upcoming semester began creeping in my brain.
Amongst the usual thoughts of graduation deadlines, tuition payments and parking fees for senior undergraduates like me, I also had to begin training a new staff for the spring semester and plan out The Collegian̢۪s goals for the remainder of the academic school year.
This semester our staff has significantly grown and there are several new members, all with their own significant goals for their position. Here̢۪s a look at the new staff working to serve you, our readers:
Switching it up from Opinion to News, is Mathew Gomes, who is now News Editor for The Collegian.
Joining the staff this semester as Copy Editor, is Melissa Knopp, a senior mass communication and journalism major with an emphasis in print journalism.
Another new addition to The Collegian is Features Editor Valerie Nevens, a sophomore mass communication and journalism major with an emphasis in print journalism. Collaborating with Valerie in Features, is new Features Reporter Sarah Peterson.
Taking over Opinion is Daniela Lopez. Lopez is a senior double majoring in advertising and English.
Returning from the fall, but now as Sports Editor, is Logan Hopkins. George Stepanoff Jr. will be the new Co-Sports Editor. Both are juniors majoring in mass communication and journalism with emphases in broadcast journalism.
Assisting the Sports team will be new Sports Reporter Lorenzo Reyna, a senior broadcast journalism major.
The new Photo Editor is Bryan Cole. Cole is a senior photojournalism major.
Heather Billings is staying on as Multimedia Editor. Billings is a senior finishing up both a degree in digital media and in print journalism.
Joel Ede will be the new Assistant Multimedia Editor. Ede is a senior digital media major.
The Collegian̢۪s Webmaster is Christa Williams, a senior digital media major.
Rounding out our multimedia team, we have our Newscast Reporter Whitney Vasquez, a senior broadcast journalism major, Multimedia Reporter Carl Merriam, and Broadcast Personality Toni Martinez.
As for my goals, I have reconfigured how editors interact with reporters, in hopes of providing more coaching on writing and story development.
The Collegian is also working hard to get in touch with our audience and provide ways for that audience to interact with us.
Late last semester, we started up The Collegian MySpace as a way to network and communicate directly with Collegian readers. I hope to continue to expand the The Collegian MySpace to offer more of an inside peek and behind the scenes look at what we do.
So please continue reading and checking out our Web site and spread the word about our new features, and if you haven̢۪t already, please add us as your MySpace friend here .
Student • Jan 27, 2009 at 7:05 pm
@ Paul Blart on January 22nd, 2009 (5 days ago) 7:51 pm
“If I was paid for what the pages of the Collegian publishes on a three-time-a-week basis (that̢۪s tremendously bad investing by the AS) I̢۪d have to investigate if I am really interested in a persuit of a career in journalism.”
Maybe not all of them are, and that is the problem. Perhaps some of the passion is lacking from the reporters?
Student • Jan 28, 2009 at 2:05 am
@ Paul Blart on January 22nd, 2009 (5 days ago) 7:51 pm
“If I was paid for what the pages of the Collegian publishes on a three-time-a-week basis (that’s tremendously bad investing by the AS) I’d have to investigate if I am really interested in a persuit of a career in journalism.”
Maybe not all of them are, and that is the problem. Perhaps some of the passion is lacking from the reporters?
Heather Billings • Jan 23, 2009 at 1:24 am
The Collegian Staff Comment
Paul: There is no more opinion in the Collegian now than there has ever been. It is normally limited to one page, which is typically less than any other section. Also, we are NOT funded by ASI, but by a student referendum.
dw: I think our extensive coverage of last semester’s ASI resignations — a story we broke before any other Valley media — falls into the category of “stuff folks prefer to keep under wraps.” It’s not that we don’t look for things like this; it’s that there’s not always dirt to uncover. A story we ran on Greeks and drinking a couple of semesters ago could be perceived by some an example of this, though our reporter and editors deemed it an issue that needed reporting.
We ran a Bulldog Lane story a few semesters back, if memory serves.
Also, since the faculty rotates like the students, that could have something to do with changing focus of the paper.
This isn’t to say there’s not improvement that could be made, of course. I’m of the opinion that everything can always be improved.
Heather Billings • Jan 23, 2009 at 8:24 am
The Collegian Staff Comment
Paul: There is no more opinion in the Collegian now than there has ever been. It is normally limited to one page, which is typically less than any other section. Also, we are NOT funded by ASI, but by a student referendum.
dw: I think our extensive coverage of last semester’s ASI resignations — a story we broke before any other Valley media — falls into the category of “stuff folks prefer to keep under wraps.” It’s not that we don’t look for things like this; it’s that there’s not always dirt to uncover. A story we ran on Greeks and drinking a couple of semesters ago could be perceived by some an example of this, though our reporter and editors deemed it an issue that needed reporting.
We ran a Bulldog Lane story a few semesters back, if memory serves.
Also, since the faculty rotates like the students, that could have something to do with changing focus of the paper.
This isn’t to say there’s not improvement that could be made, of course. I’m of the opinion that everything can always be improved.
dw • Jan 22, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Here’s a story idea: Bulldog Lane has a lot of problems–crime, drugs and parolees living along the avenue. Fresno PD has invested much time and effort in trying to clean things up–task forces, sweeps and such. I’m sure the PD’s PIO (Jeff Cardinale) would be happy to fill you in.
dw • Jan 23, 2009 at 5:01 am
Here’s a story idea: Bulldog Lane has a lot of problems–crime, drugs and parolees living along the avenue. Fresno PD has invested much time and effort in trying to clean things up–task forces, sweeps and such. I’m sure the PD’s PIO (Jeff Cardinale) would be happy to fill you in.
Journalist • Jan 22, 2009 at 7:58 pm
“(actual reasons library is not opening on schedule rather than some stupid ‘thumbs down to the construction crews’…not enough interviews……too much opinion and recycled stories.” ITS THE FIRST WEEK. lol Gimme a break.
Journalist • Jan 23, 2009 at 2:58 am
“(actual reasons library is not opening on schedule rather than some stupid ‘thumbs down to the construction crews’…not enough interviews……too much opinion and recycled stories.” ITS THE FIRST WEEK. lol Gimme a break.
Paul Blart • Jan 22, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I think students are seeing way too many opinion pieces from Collegian writers. Too many attempts at trying to be witty and not enought interviews with professors, experts, people in the community, hard hitting question (actual reasons library is not opening on schedule rather than some stupid ‘thumbs down to the construction crews’…not enough interviews……too much opinion and recycled stories. There ya go, Heather. If I was paid for what the pages of the Collegian publishes on a three-time-a-week basis (that’s tremendously bad investing by the AS) I’d have to investigate if I am really interested in a persuit of a career in journalism.
Paul Blart • Jan 23, 2009 at 2:51 am
I think students are seeing way too many opinion pieces from Collegian writers. Too many attempts at trying to be witty and not enought interviews with professors, experts, people in the community, hard hitting question (actual reasons library is not opening on schedule rather than some stupid ‘thumbs down to the construction crews’…not enough interviews……too much opinion and recycled stories. There ya go, Heather. If I was paid for what the pages of the Collegian publishes on a three-time-a-week basis (that’s tremendously bad investing by the AS) I’d have to investigate if I am really interested in a persuit of a career in journalism.
dw • Jan 22, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I’ve hit a nerve. Sorry about that.
A little history: The Collegian became the Collegian because the J-Department (now Mass Comm) washed their hands of it, saying no one (especially student government) was going to tell them what (the minority editions) was to be part of “their” newspaper. Until the “Collegian fee” was passed by the students several years ago, the paper was entirely dependent on advertising revenue and ASI.
ASI felt that, since it was paying the freight, the Collegian must be directly responsible to the student Senate and the ASI officers. When the paper would not bow to ASI, the Senate could and would cut the paper’s share of the budget. In the late 1990s, this situation hit critical mass and J was approached to take over the paper. After much debate (and some compromising), J assumed some responsibility for the Collegian. The price of all this was a paper that was no longer a daily. Given the circumstances that was understandable.
Then the fee was put in place. It’s my understanding the fee generates more money to support the paper’s operations then the old ASI budgets did. My question is, given that, why isn’t the Collegian operating as a daily news source?
The staff was small and “revolving” in my day too. But we consistently covered stuff folks preferred to keep under wraps, such as sexual harassment and date rape over on Greek Mall. And Sports Info didn’t particularly like us either. But that’s besides the point–which is, given the greater resources available to the paper, it could be way better.
dw • Jan 23, 2009 at 12:07 am
I’ve hit a nerve. Sorry about that.
A little history: The Collegian became the Collegian because the J-Department (now Mass Comm) washed their hands of it, saying no one (especially student government) was going to tell them what (the minority editions) was to be part of “their” newspaper. Until the “Collegian fee” was passed by the students several years ago, the paper was entirely dependent on advertising revenue and ASI.
ASI felt that, since it was paying the freight, the Collegian must be directly responsible to the student Senate and the ASI officers. When the paper would not bow to ASI, the Senate could and would cut the paper’s share of the budget. In the late 1990s, this situation hit critical mass and J was approached to take over the paper. After much debate (and some compromising), J assumed some responsibility for the Collegian. The price of all this was a paper that was no longer a daily. Given the circumstances that was understandable.
Then the fee was put in place. It’s my understanding the fee generates more money to support the paper’s operations then the old ASI budgets did. My question is, given that, why isn’t the Collegian operating as a daily news source?
The staff was small and “revolving” in my day too. But we consistently covered stuff folks preferred to keep under wraps, such as sexual harassment and date rape over on Greek Mall. And Sports Info didn’t particularly like us either. But that’s besides the point–which is, given the greater resources available to the paper, it could be way better.
Heather Billings • Jan 22, 2009 at 3:20 pm
The Collegian Staff Comment
dw: I didn’t claim to be unbiased. All I said was that you are unable to objectively critique our performance due to your previous time here. I hope that once I’ve left this place, I’ll remember what it was like to be torn down by people like you and do my best to instead encourage the students that come after me.
Heather Billings • Jan 22, 2009 at 10:20 pm
The Collegian Staff Comment
dw: I didn’t claim to be unbiased. All I said was that you are unable to objectively critique our performance due to your previous time here. I hope that once I’ve left this place, I’ll remember what it was like to be torn down by people like you and do my best to instead encourage the students that come after me.
Brandon Santiago • Jan 22, 2009 at 3:14 pm
The Collegian Staff Comment
dw, so our ” ASI Scandal” coverage didn’t rattle any cages? Our coverage of the continuing budget cuts? The IRA fee referendum? The shootings near campus? If I remember right, the ASI coverage rattled so many cages that it local T.V. news attention with ABC 30 and KGPE 47 interviewing us about the work we’ve done. And I just want to remind you no matter what we still have to run some of the “run of the mill” stories, and that our staff is a constant revolving door, so everyone is constantly getting trained and learning, but when an exciting news opportunity does turn up we do jump on it, and I personally believe we do a good job of that. I am proud of my staff and their work and of the work I have done here.
Brandon Santiago • Jan 22, 2009 at 10:14 pm
The Collegian Staff Comment
dw, so our ” ASI Scandal” coverage didn’t rattle any cages? Our coverage of the continuing budget cuts? The IRA fee referendum? The shootings near campus? If I remember right, the ASI coverage rattled so many cages that it local T.V. news attention with ABC 30 and KGPE 47 interviewing us about the work we’ve done. And I just want to remind you no matter what we still have to run some of the “run of the mill” stories, and that our staff is a constant revolving door, so everyone is constantly getting trained and learning, but when an exciting news opportunity does turn up we do jump on it, and I personally believe we do a good job of that. I am proud of my staff and their work and of the work I have done here.
Scout • Jan 22, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Also, I know the staff are probably too busy with their work, or just trying to ignore you, but I will say it for them.
If the collegian has gone so downhill since you left, why don’t you go ahead and look up the NUMEROUS awards the paper and its web site have earned in the last few years? Go ahead, we can wait.
Go into the office and look at some of the framed newspapers on the wall that were applauded by the media for their amazing coverage. Stories like the nearby shooting, etc.
Usually working for the Collegian has made the people I have known from there smarter, but oviously some people did slip through the cracks.
IGNORANCE.
Scout • Jan 22, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Also, I know the staff are probably too busy with their work, or just trying to ignore you, but I will say it for them.
If the collegian has gone so downhill since you left, why don’t you go ahead and look up the NUMEROUS awards the paper and its web site have earned in the last few years? Go ahead, we can wait.
Go into the office and look at some of the framed newspapers on the wall that were applauded by the media for their amazing coverage. Stories like the nearby shooting, etc.
Usually working for the Collegian has made the people I have known from there smarter, but oviously some people did slip through the cracks.
IGNORANCE.
Scout • Jan 22, 2009 at 1:50 pm
If no one cares, why are you all here? why are you all commenting on these stories? reading them whenever they come out?
Its obvious from your repeated postings that you obviously don’t care about his paper, and whatever is put in it holds no interest for you.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING FOR THE REST OF US!
Scout • Jan 22, 2009 at 8:50 pm
If no one cares, why are you all here? why are you all commenting on these stories? reading them whenever they come out?
Its obvious from your repeated postings that you obviously don’t care about his paper, and whatever is put in it holds no interest for you.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING FOR THE REST OF US!
dw • Jan 22, 2009 at 1:13 pm
And you’re not biased yourself, Heather? Gimme a break!!
The Collegian is so insipid, no one cares anymore. At least in my day, we rattled cages. Made the national press when we rattled a cage that stole our layout as payback for our reporting. Have a nice day, Heather.
dw • Jan 22, 2009 at 8:13 pm
And you’re not biased yourself, Heather? Gimme a break!!
The Collegian is so insipid, no one cares anymore. At least in my day, we rattled cages. Made the national press when we rattled a cage that stole our layout as payback for our reporting. Have a nice day, Heather.
Journalist • Jan 22, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I’d really like to know what people want from a STUDENT RUN newspaper? We’re STUDENTS. Yes SOME of us are getting paid, but we’re still learning, just like everyother student on campus. It’s a college newspaper…it isn’t ever going to be perfet, nor are we ever going to please everyone that complains.
Journalist • Jan 22, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I’d really like to know what people want from a STUDENT RUN newspaper? We’re STUDENTS. Yes SOME of us are getting paid, but we’re still learning, just like everyother student on campus. It’s a college newspaper…it isn’t ever going to be perfet, nor are we ever going to please everyone that complains.
Heather Billings • Jan 22, 2009 at 11:46 am
The Collegian Staff Comment
“Randay”: Part of my job is monitoring every single comment that gets posted to our site (which is not a blog). So when I see something that needs responding to, I respond to it. Your suggestion implies that an imperfect source of information is worse than no source at all, which makes no logical sense.
dw: Pardon my insolence, but I think you can’t really judge the quality of the paper objectively because of your bias. For once, I agree with Whatever — that article from the Onion is right on.
Heather Billings • Jan 22, 2009 at 6:46 pm
The Collegian Staff Comment
“Randay”: Part of my job is monitoring every single comment that gets posted to our site (which is not a blog). So when I see something that needs responding to, I respond to it. Your suggestion implies that an imperfect source of information is worse than no source at all, which makes no logical sense.
dw: Pardon my insolence, but I think you can’t really judge the quality of the paper objectively because of your bias. For once, I agree with Whatever — that article from the Onion is right on.
whatever • Jan 22, 2009 at 10:20 am
hilarious comment from DW
WHEN I WAS THERE IT WAS GOOD!!
I can’t link to it because of foul language, but this reminds me of “Former Editor Can’t Believe Sh** College Newspaper Is Printing” from The Onion.
whatever • Jan 22, 2009 at 5:20 pm
hilarious comment from DW
WHEN I WAS THERE IT WAS GOOD!!
I can’t link to it because of foul language, but this reminds me of “Former Editor Can’t Believe Sh** College Newspaper Is Printing” from The Onion.
dw • Jan 21, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Randy, I have to reluctantly agree with you on the quality of the paper. Lest the current staff say I don’t know what I’m talking about, having been on Collegian staff when it was a daily paper, not a three-day-a-week publication. We operated with a small staff and put in ungodly hours, but by-and-large we did a pretty good job of covering the campus, better than the current rendition of the Collegian.
The readership should be getting more for their investment.
dw • Jan 22, 2009 at 2:43 am
Randy, I have to reluctantly agree with you on the quality of the paper. Lest the current staff say I don’t know what I’m talking about, having been on Collegian staff when it was a daily paper, not a three-day-a-week publication. We operated with a small staff and put in ungodly hours, but by-and-large we did a pretty good job of covering the campus, better than the current rendition of the Collegian.
The readership should be getting more for their investment.
Randay Sanchez • Jan 21, 2009 at 5:13 pm
many—if not most—— of you guys are getting PAID. I see the same recycled drivel day after day. How do you have time to write in a blog forum if you’re so busy, Heather. My recommendation? Eliminate the Collegian for not accomplishing its aim. Students funneled great amounts of activity dollars into the school paper since the referendum on a product that constantly disappoints.
Randay Sanchez • Jan 22, 2009 at 12:13 am
many—if not most—— of you guys are getting PAID. I see the same recycled drivel day after day. How do you have time to write in a blog forum if you’re so busy, Heather. My recommendation? Eliminate the Collegian for not accomplishing its aim. Students funneled great amounts of activity dollars into the school paper since the referendum on a product that constantly disappoints.
Journalist • Jan 21, 2009 at 11:40 am
Hell yeah Heather!
Its a student run newspaper and you all bust your butts…while still trying to keep it a learning environment and keep up with other classes. I love The Collegian and all the hard work that is put into it!!
Journalist • Jan 21, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Hell yeah Heather!
Its a student run newspaper and you all bust your butts…while still trying to keep it a learning environment and keep up with other classes. I love The Collegian and all the hard work that is put into it!!
Lauren • Jan 21, 2009 at 11:13 am
The Collegian’s articles have always been fair and as accurate as the reporters can possibly write them. In fact, I see much more biases in national publications…just open the New York Times up one day.
Randy, what should The Collegian do differently to improve its standards? You didn’t seem to offer any specific recommendations.
Lauren • Jan 21, 2009 at 6:13 pm
The Collegian’s articles have always been fair and as accurate as the reporters can possibly write them. In fact, I see much more biases in national publications…just open the New York Times up one day.
Randy, what should The Collegian do differently to improve its standards? You didn’t seem to offer any specific recommendations.
jsv • Jan 21, 2009 at 9:06 am
Damn right “Heather” let them have it.
I think you guys (the staff at the collegian) are doing a good job so keep up the good work.
Note if you dont like it you dont have to read it.
jsv • Jan 21, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Damn right “Heather” let them have it.
I think you guys (the staff at the collegian) are doing a good job so keep up the good work.
Note if you dont like it you dont have to read it.
Heather Billings • Jan 21, 2009 at 1:50 am
The Collegian Staff Comment
I love how people think we lounge around the newsroom doing nothing. Come by on a production night sometime and that image will vanish pretty quickly.
I get paid for 20 hours a week. I logged 12 hours at the office today alone, the day before school, creating content for this site. I’m at home editing small things now.
Most of our editors have been here for the past three weeks getting the paper into gear.
Bottom line: If you aren’t happy with the way things are here, come change it from the inside instead of vaguely complaining about it. We’re already working as hard as we can to serve students.
Heather Billings • Jan 21, 2009 at 8:50 am
The Collegian Staff Comment
I love how people think we lounge around the newsroom doing nothing. Come by on a production night sometime and that image will vanish pretty quickly.
I get paid for 20 hours a week. I logged 12 hours at the office today alone, the day before school, creating content for this site. I’m at home editing small things now.
Most of our editors have been here for the past three weeks getting the paper into gear.
Bottom line: If you aren’t happy with the way things are here, come change it from the inside instead of vaguely complaining about it. We’re already working as hard as we can to serve students.
Randy Sanchez • Jan 21, 2009 at 1:09 am
time for you guys to start working and earning what the students four years ago approved—-improved newspaper quality and stipends—-something we’ve yet to witness.
Randy Sanchez • Jan 21, 2009 at 8:09 am
time for you guys to start working and earning what the students four years ago approved—-improved newspaper quality and stipends—-something we’ve yet to witness.