ONE OF the major problems with writing for a student newspaper is that every once in a while, that little thing called "schoolwork" interferes. That holds true for everyone at the paper, including the ombudsman.
The Cavalier Daily will publish two more weeks' worth of papers. Unfortunately, I have a master's thesis begging for my undivided attention, so this will be my last column.
This job intrigued me when I read about it in an e-mail last summer. The Cavalier Daily reminds me a lot of The Technician, the student newspaper I worked on for four years at North Carolina State University. Neither paper has the luxury of drawing from a rich supply of journalism students. Instead, their staffs include future doctors, politicians-in-training and, in my case, biochemistry majors. A few of these people will pursue careers in journalism, but for many, the paper is simply a way to involve themselves in the campus community.
One key difference between the papers is that The Technician, to the best of my knowledge, has never had an ombudsman. Looking back, I wish it had one to address some of the problems that developed while I was there. The mere fact that The Cavalier Daily has an ombudsman speaks volumes about the staff's commitment to improving the paper.
When I started writing my column in September, I didn't know exactly how the job would work. As much as possible, I tried to tackle issues with The Cavalier Daily that you, the readers, cared about because I believe this job is largely about being a reader advocate. I didn't interpret that to mean I should always take the readers' point of view on those issues, but I thought I should use my column to address your concerns. So each week, I read your e-mails and scanned your letters to the editor when deciding what to write.
I wrote in my debut column that journalists always hear about what they do wrong, but they rarely get credit for what they do right. Throughout the year, I've wanted to give The Cavalier Daily editors, reporters, photographers and columnists some of that credit. Most of the time, I didn't have to look too hard to find something positive.
The Cavalier Daily, like every newspaper, made its share of mistakes this year. When those mistakes happened, I tried to offer constructive criticism designed to improve the paper. But the positives of the work the staff did far outweighed the negatives.
As I read the paper and dealt with the staff, I saw a group of people who had a passion for what they did. They took their work seriously. I didn't always agree with their decisions, but I could tell they carefully considered what they published. The University community is fortunate to have dedicated students like these covering the news.
I can only hope I have done my small part to improve The Cavalier Daily and its relationship with readers, but I know my experience as ombudsman has made me a better reporter. This job forced me to think long and hard about ethical issues and what constitutes good journalism and writing. I will carry the lessons I've learned in the last few months throughout my career.
I want to thank former Editor-in-Chief Chris Wilson and former Executive Editor Becky Krystal for hiring me as the ombudsman in the fall. They constantly impressed me with how much they care about The Cavalier Daily. They accepted any criticisms I made about the paper, and they managed it in a professional way. I have no doubt that both will become outstanding journalists if they choose that career path.
I also want to thank current Editor-in-Chief Patrick Harvey and Executive Editor Elliot Haspel for creating a smooth transition on my end between the old Managing Board and the new one. They have been just as easy to work with as Wilson and Krystal. I am confident The Cavalier Daily will continue to thrive next year under their leadership.
I have to thank all the readers who took the time to e-mail me throughout the year. I welcomed your comments, good or bad. I enjoyed lengthy discussions with some of you, and I appreciate you for challenging me.
Finally, to the readers who had something to say but never e-mailed me, I strongly encourage you to flood the inbox of whomever holds this position next year. The ombudsman functions most effectively with constant feedback from readers. Take full advantage of that person.
Jeremy Ashton can be reached at ombud@cavalierdaily.com.
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