If you have ideas for the American U paper
Sitting in the newspaper offices in a university center is no adventure-sport film night with a Bogart, but I still get a charge out of it. Through friend and former colleague Anne, I've joined the board of directors of American University's student paper, The Eagle. Last week we had our first board meeting since my addition. I had a good time. The different challenges a college news organization faces flooded back, as did the connection to the issues professional news orgs face. A complexity at the college level evolves into a series of complexities at the pro level, which seems harder until you realize the pros receive salary to solve problems. Minimal budgets gives college orgs their own complexities.
So, it's interesting looking back. It's more interesting looking forward, as The Eagle grapples with shifting models and audiences. Fortunately, the org has a strong editor, new business manager showing promise and a board beyond me that cares greatly about the future of news.
If you have thoughts about mentoring, training, equipping, selling, or fundraising, drop me a line. (I've already… mentioned several of you.)
