• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

Jeff Schenck, a third-year communication studies student, was confirmed as the 2006-2007 editor i

Correction appended

At the Associated Students UCLA Communications Board meeting Monday night, third-year communication studies student Jeff Schenck was appointed to the position of editor in chief of the Daily Bruin for the 2006-2007 school year. The board made the decision after hearing the staff endorsement. The decision is a relative formality as the board usually choses the candidate endorsed by the staff, though there have been cases where it has not. The staff endorsement took place last week after Schenck and another candidate, third-year political science student Melinda Dudley, each gave a 20-minute speech followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session. “He brings a real operational focus to the position,” said Ty Tosdal, chairman of the Communications Board. “He has a convincing long-term position on where the paper should go.” In his executive summary, Schenck outlined three major areas in which he would like to improve the Bruin. These included expanding and improving the online presence of the paper, focusing the coverage on areas readers are interested in, and creating a more cohesive newsroom. “Lately, we’ve lost track of why we’re publishing the paper,” Schenck said. “It’s become more formulaic and more reactive. We should work harder to chase the news and give the readers something exciting to read about.” Schenck also stressed the importance of enhancing the Bruin Web site by fixing technical problems and increasing specialized content for the readers since the online version is already read more than the print version. “The Web site should be less of a mirror of the print version,” Schenck said. “It should become more of its own thing by including more content and more extensive stories.” Dudley said she would support Schenck as the new editor in chief and will continue to be dedicated to the Bruin. “If he’s the choice of the staff and the board, then he’s more than qualified,” Dudley said. Current Editor in Chief Charles Proctor expressed optimism in Schenck’s ability to fill the position. “He came up with very specific plans about what can be done,” Proctor said. “He definitely thought it through, and I’m confident he will follow through with his plans.” This will be the fifth position Schenck has held at the Bruin. He joined in fall 2003 as a copy editor and later became a columnist, assistant viewpoint editor and section editor in viewpoint. He returned to copy in fall 2005. He has also held positions in the photography and design departments. “He has a strong sense of journalism and good sense of what direction the paper is headed and where it should be headed,” Proctor said. With the approval of the board and staff, Schenck is confident about what the paper will become next year. “There is a lot we can improve on,” Schenck said. “We will have to work really hard, and that responsibility falls on me.” With reports from Derek Lipkin, Bruin senior staff.