We would be kidding ourselves if we said we had any idea of what was in store for us when last January we assumed the positions comprising the 122nd managing board of The Cavalier Daily. Plagiarism incidents, University Judiciary Committee charges and nearly being blocked from our offices by construction were not in the job description.
Indeed, we experienced many surprises during our term at the helm of the oldest daily newspaper in both Charlottesville and the University. What probably amazed us the most, though, was the indefatigable dedication of our staff and the intense loyalty of our readers, who stuck with us through good times and bad. Therefore, as we prepare to hand off the reins to the 123rd staff this weekend, we would like to offer our thanks and farewells to our colleagues and community members and briefly reflect upon our accomplishments from the past year.
Although our term was often unpredictable, we take pride in the fact that we were able to live up to at least some of the goals we set for ourselves upon taking office last year. In our opening editorial last January, for example, we wrote that the University's "student population is more diverse than ever. We hope to expand our paper's content to appeal to that audience." We followed through on that commitment by publishing a three-part series on the University's LGBTQ communities, continuing to run a biweekly opinion column by the Minority Rights Coalition and advocating through our editorials for a variety of initiatives which are of importance to the University's minority communities.
Moreover, we maintained a level of transparency which we hope allowed readers to gain a better understanding of how the paper operates. Notably, we explained publicly our decision to use anonymous sources in an investigative report about a hazing incident at Zeta Psi fraternity. Furthermore, we were open with readers when last fall we discovered that plagiarized articles had appeared in our pages. Although this led to a showdown with the Honor Committee and UJC, we managed to keep readers apprised of the latest developments throughout that ordeal as well.
These achievements would not have been possible, however, without the support of our readers and staff members. Whether it was receiving a friendly postcard from a reader in South Korea or having a staffer sit next to us in class and offer a compliment about a story or editorial, these were the small moments which kept us going through sleepless nights, unpleasant meetings and the everyday crises which arise when publishing a daily newspaper.
Even more importantly, our readers and staffers made being on the managing board more than a job - it became a true learning experience. To be sure, the feedback we received from readers about content in the paper was not always positive, but it gratified us to know that those in the community care enough about The Cavalier Daily to correct us when we go astray. And the impromptu newsroom debates we had with staff members not only helped us fine-tune our editing and editorializing, they also contributed to our understanding of the world in ways which will far outlast our time at the paper.
Perhaps the most meaningful thing we learned while managing The Cavalier Daily, though, is how vital this institution is to the University and the Charlottesville community. An independent student voice, free of administrative influence, is perhaps the purest embodiment of the University's ideal of student self-governance. It has been an honor to be a part of the paper's mission, and we will carry with us the lessons learned from the experience throughout the rest of our lives.
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