Think you are better, then prove it

How many of you have found yourselves complaining after nearly every issue of The Snapper? Professors, students, staff, you all do; don’t lie. I know before I started working on the newspaper, that’s pretty much how it went.

Even as a part of the staff, I find myself hitting my head at mistakes that slip through to the final edition of each issue. Just a few weeks ago, my very first attempt at writing a newspaper article was butchered for everyone on campus to see.

I was furious and broken hearted, but it made me think about the process we all have to go through to pump out a newspaper each week, a process that many people do not consider when they so fervently complain about The Snapper.

Each week, members of the staff, as well as our advisor, Dr. Gene Ellis, get together to critique the last week’s issue and collect a bank of possible stories. The editors ask for writers to cover the stories or take the stories themselves, and they also receive stories from outside contributors.

Tuesday night (before the Thursday of each issue) members of the staff get together to work on compiling the articles and formatting the final product, often staying until the wee hours of Wednesday morning to get everything just right.

Copy editors also do their job, consulting with each other and the AP style book to make sure the articles are as free of errors as possible.

So how do mistakes get into the issue if there are three copy editors and multiple other editors doing their jobs? It can’t be that hard to get things right, can it? Well, consider a few things.

Firstly, we are students after all. We are all still learning. Some of us have never even taken a journalism course, but still dedicate ourselves to the paper.

Also, most of us are not expected to give more than we are willing, or able, to give. There is no pressure when you sign up for The Snapper to do more than you possibly can with your schedule and your needs, though the editors of the sections are very dedicated, hard workers who often give more than their fair share.

Many times the copy editors leave around 12 or 12:30 a.m., leaving the editors of the sections to put the corrections in the computer and finish the paper.

That late at night, the one thing the editors are focusing on is finishing the paper without any glaring mistakes.

Even if they do read the articles, it is easy to understand how the editors might miss things when they are overtired and overwhelmed by the broader task at hand.

Still, especially as a copy editor, I know that mistakes in every paper reflect poorly on all the hard work that is done by The Snapper staff and contributing writers. Perhaps the comments are due.

But still, what good is complaining? Just as Richard Payne stated in his article on the economy in last week’s paper, “If you have an issue…do something about it.”

Many of us at The Snapper believe that if you have an issue with your school newspaper, you should do something about it.

As this semester wraps up, many members of The Snapper staff are moving on to do greater things. That leaves positions open for new members to fill, especially in the copy editing department (plug!).

So if you have a problem with how things are done with your newspaper (professors, this means you too), please come offer your time, your skills, your interests, to help make The Snapper the best it can be.

Contact information for the paper is on the front page of every issue, or you can stop by The Snapper office on the ground floor of the SMC on Tuesday or Thursday nights to find out more. If you find yourself one of these chronic complainers, get off your “patootie” and be the change you wish to see!