YOU SEE it every day. Whether jeering at an opinion column, sneaking a peak at the crossword puzzle during lecture or discussing the latest controversy splashed across the front of these pages, the University community interacts with The Cavalier Daily in a myriad of ways. Even if only subconsciously, thousands of readers -- students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents -- rely on this publication as both a source of information as well as an opportunity to communicate with each other. And in doing so, readers have rightfully developed a set of expectations for The Cavalier Daily: They expect it to be informative, accurate, fair, on time, useful and entertaining. But surprisingly, many of those readers who expect context in news stories appear to have little context of their own when it comes to the newspaper itself.
Have you ever found yourself staring at the name on a byline, wondering who that person was, why he or she joined the paper, what obstacles may have come up in the process of reporting the story or how long it took to write? After two and a half years on staff -- one of which was most recently spent as managing editor -- I think it's time to pull back the wizard's curtain. I've been allotted 800 words for a parting column, and there is no doubt in my mind I could put this space to best use by offering a glimpse of what life is like for the faceless names listed in the staff box.
First, to clarify: When we describe The Cavalier Daily as an independent newspaper, we mean it. We accept no money from the school and pay rent for our offices in the Newcomb Hall basement. Our staff consists of over 100 dedicated students, most of whom are involved in other activities around Grounds, including Greek life, academic organizations, advocacy groups and charity work. Not all writers are English majors or interested in pursuing journalism as a career; nor are all staff members even from the College. We are not paid.
News articles are generally written the day before they appear in the paper, which means that reporters begin writing in the afternoon and stay till at least 6 or 7 p.m., often later depending on how long it takes for sources to return calls or if it's a particularly delicate story. Upon finishing, a writer first reads through the story with the News editor, who edits primarily with structure and balance in mind. Next, the writer reads with an assistant managing editor who edits for grammar and content where necessary. Then, the managing editor reads news articles before they are placed on the page by Production editors, reading over the page again once it is printed out. The process isn't complete usually until 11 p.m. or midnight (and sometimes not until the early hours of the morning), after the editor-in-chief has read through the news articles and over the managing editor's corrections.
The paper is governed by a five-member managing board that confers over major editorial decisions, sets policy and guides the staff. The board is also responsible for the lead editorials each day. And as the only libertarian, Bush-supporting member of the previous managing board, I can tell you we disagreed, and often (well, at least maybe I did). But let me also assure you that the board reads through editorials carefully, and even in cases where the outcome was already known, the final product withstood scrutiny from all sides.
Of course, time commitment varies with position, but for editors, the difficulty of balancing the Cav Daily with school is enormous. Departmental editors may spend 20-25 hours per week in the office, while the managing board clocks at least 50 and sometimes as many as 60 hours. Through midterms, papers, strep throats, moot court briefs and even LSAT preparation, I showed up.
The relationship between the Cav Daily and its readers should be a reciprocal one. Criticism is healthy, and we provide a space for letters to the editor for a reason. At the same time, it is reckless to criticize without first inspecting our reasoning -- every decision is the product of careful deliberation. It is easy to be offended, just as it is to give in to a knee-jerk reaction that a newspaper should be censored because you disapprove. During my term, we made waves with controversial articles, columns, comics and decisions. You hear it all the time, but I think the reminder applies to the press more than anywhere else: This is Mr. Jefferson's University. In the end, we are here to serve the community, but we are not here to please. We are here to report.
My time as managing editor has been the most frustrating and meaningful experience of my life. Thanks to our talented staff and my fellow board members -- you've inspired me more than you know. And here's to the 116th -- it's calming to pass the paper into such capable hands. Congratulations and good luck!
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