A Semester in the Life of a Managing Editor
Hello UVI! If you have never heard of the UVI VOICE, our university newspaper, it’s time you did!
I’ve had the privilege of working as the managing editor of the UVI VOICE over two semesters and I have been able to see the paper grow and expand as we get fresh voices and gain more experience. I have gained more experience as an editor and learned how to write and edit more effective yet enjoyable articles. I have learned more about the formatting of an online paper and how to put together blog posts and organize a blog style website. I have also learned more about how a paper is run and the work that goes into reporting the news in a variety of media formats. I encourage students to take the journalism course at UVI, even if they are not communications majors. I am actually an English major and working with the UVI VOICE has been a thoroughly rewarding experience. We have several positions if you are interested in a position, or if you prefer to focus on reporting, you can be a reporter or photographer. Here are a few things you can expect if you take up the role of managing editor. I promise the jobs gets easier the longer you do it! 🙂
At the start of the semester, you have to prepare the constitution and other pertinent documents and re-establish the UVI Voice as a club on campus to secure access to organization funding. You would think people would get the hint that we are here to stay, but alas this is a recurring duty.
You have to keep in mind that not everyone you work with will have even a little experience, so make sure you are available to give advice and offer assistance to your fellow staff members. You help to assign and/or reassign articles such as when two people want to cover the same story. You send out various emails reminding staff members of assignments and deadlines and provide helpful hints and advice as needed. Even if they don’t end up needing your help, the staff works as a team and it’s always good to know you can count on the editors to help you if you need it.
You also have to put together budgets using slugs that either the students provide or you come up with based on the content of the article and then you get to prioritize the articles for editing and publication.
You want the articles to appeal to the eye and that means you need pictures. If no photo was provided with an article, it’s up to the editors to make sure a suitable photo is provided, complete with cutline.
Rest assured, you will not be working alone because you have the other editors to share the workload.
Spreading the Word:
Our Campus Has a VOICE!
I have contributed several Facebook posts with photos about events on campus as they occur.
I have helped to spread the word about the UVI VOICE, via social media and word of mouth, urging people to check out the site. I have also given the link to the people whom I have interviewed regarding articles because they are likely to want to look up the resulting article.
I include the link to the uvivoice website as a signature line in emails I send to non-staff members in an effort to further spread the word about the site and the paper.
There are more ways to spread the word. What methods will you use?
Calling all UVI students!
Three Campuses; One VOICE
I encourage UVI students to take the journalism course, COM 200 which is the class that publishes the university newspaper. Even if you are not communications majors, you will learn something worthwhile and be a part of making sure the student voices are heard on campus.
Are you ready to do your part? Check us out at uvivoice.net. We are constantly expanding and updating our site, so if we have not covered something you feel is important or we are missing a section/category you think is crucial to our university culture, you can help us make sure the paper is as comprehensive as possible.
Are you ready to do your part? Check us out at uvivoice.net and we hope to see you in the fall!
Arige's Blog 