Editorial: New and Improved
Collegian responds to criticism, suggestions

August 28, 2008

A reputable newspaper should strive for many ends. However, any paper will inevitably fall short in its pursuits some times. The Collegian exists to provide the La Salle community fair, accurate and thorough coverage of the ins and outs of life on and around the university.

For any student organization, this goal can be a large undertaking. We are proud of our predecessors’ accomplishments and hope to live up to their legacy. A large part of honoring Collegian alumni can be measured by the continued improvement of our publication. There are several areas that we, as an editorial board, acknowledge as being weak or not as strong as we know they can be. It is our goal for the 2008-2009 publication year to address the following concerns:

-- Uneven coverage of Greek life and other student organizations

One knock against the Collegian is an imbalance of stories pertaining to fraternities and sororities on campus. If a particular group finds itself in trouble, we are the first to probe into the matter, because, frankly, it is our job to do so. A sorority or fraternity being placed on suspension is news, and it must be covered. Many good deeds are occurring, however, without acknowledgement from this publication. We encourage leaders in those – and any – organization to contact us directly for upcoming events, notable members and group accomplishments.

A solution we have devised is to institute beats. All of our editors will be assigned to cover various organizations, departments, clubs and majors to extend our presence in the university. The beats will entail regular check-ups with members of those groups in the hopes of devising more story ideas and extending our roots. It is our goal to know as much about the happenings on campus as we can.

This is not a promise to cover everything your student organization may do. Instead, we hope this opens the lines of communication. We may not cover the specific event you want us to this time, but at least from now on we will know who you are. The Collegian can’t cover events it doesn’t know about, so contact us. Our e-mail addresses appear at the end of every article; utilize those links.

-- Niche entertainment coverage

A luxury in writing for a college newspaper is a near-limitless topic potential for entertainment articles. Reviews for any movie, album, play, concert or television show pervade our arts sections, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our writers shell out their own cash and naturally will write about their own interests. Underground music and movies define college journalism and allow up-and-coming artists to receive publicity and feedback.

We don’t feel it is a problem that we are more eagerly anticipating the new Mountain Goats or Against Me! record than Britney Spears’ new album. This does not mean that the Collegian has a ban on pop reviews. If you want more mainstream music to be covered, consider this an invitation to write for the paper. Remember, we are staffed entirely by La Salle students; anyone can join. Please send an e-mail to Erin Szrankowski (szrankowskie1@lasalle.edu) or Mandy Bee (beea1@lasalle.edu) to write for entertainment.

A good example of proactive criticism came from senior Patrick Dougherty. Last year, Dougherty felt there was not enough business coverage in the Collegian. He suggested a section should be devoted to the subject and offered to edit it himself. We loved the idea and the Business section was born. Although Dougherty is no longer with the paper, Bill Capece now has the reins (he also welcomes new writers; he can be reached at capecew1@lasalle.edu).

-- CAKE doesn’t make any sense. What’s with all the inside jokes?

In the early 1990s, CAKE was created as a one-page humor section to provide a lighter side to the La Salle campus. Like any piece of humor, CAKE is subjective and not everyone will understand the fine nuances of the page. However, for all the times CAKE may wander into the realms of inside-jokes, it rebounds with smart, silly, satirical material that is relevant to La Salle students and the college-aged population in general. Topics like the Ghost Busters, Target and John Rambo aren’t exactly inside jokes, and we feel it is unfair to generalize when it comes to the section. CAKE annually produces the well-received (and usually inoffensive) Foolegian, the highly-anticipated “Tournament of Champions” and the well-stocked Treasure Hunt. As with other sections, CAKE welcomes suggestions and the section’s editor, Angelo Ratini (ratinia1@lasalle.edu), is open to your input.

-- There are way too many typos and errors

In the past, grammatical errors, misidentified persons, misspelled names and inarticulately worded articles have all appeared in the Collegian. The reliability of any article with numerous typos is instantly in question. We regret those mistakes and have since looked to improve our editing process.

Previously, the Collegian was written, edited and laid out on Monday and Tuesday. Certain sections (such as Entertainment, Commentary, Philly File, etc.) were on easier time schedules and could be edited more casually. Because of late interviews, breaking news or other disruptions, the News section is often the last to be edited by the bleary-eyed copy editors and head editors – sometimes starting as late as midnight Wednesday. We found it unacceptable for the most important section to be edited with the least amount of care. To alleviate the errors that occurred because of the limitations on the human body, the Collegian has changed its production process and will allow for another day of writing, interviewing and editing. We hope with a Thursday publishing date the overall quality of the paper will improve greatly.

These are not our only concerns, but we hope they serve as a framework for the change we are willing to undergo in the subsequent year. The Collegian has provided La Salle with a reliable and regular periodical since 1931, and we hope we are able to continually exceed your expectations and improve our own standards in our quest for fair and accurate reporting.