Journalism at UMD

I appreciate the opportunity serve as Public Editor this week. For the past five years I have skimmed the Statesman on my ride home on the 11 bus. On several occasions I have wanted to respond to an article or opinion in writing, only to find my motivation lost by the time I get home. I have excused my laziness by rationalizing that I was never the “intended audience,” and students need to make their own arguments. But now I have found a legitimate forum and I hope that my feedback is helpful and encouraging. I want to thank you for putting in long hours to educate and amuse your fellow students and your beloved faculty.

Front Page and Campus News
The front page layout is appealing: The color photo of the energy drinks balances the shot of a student kayaking in the pool. It evokes the colors of a Caribbean beach; it says “Refresh yourselves! Spring break is near!” The headline is catchy but upon further analysis, I realize that it’s somewhat meaningless. It means that about 6% of UMD’s student population bought one energy drink from an on-campus vendor over the course of a week. That’s much lower than I would expect, and I assume that many more students buy them in bulk at Sam’s Club.

Meanwhile, the smaller headline “U of M system may have to cut budget by $78 million” reveals that 100% of next year’s student body will probably face higher tuition, fewer class choices, and basically less “bang for its buck.” I commend reporter Dayna Landgrebe for avoiding an alarmist tone, and enjoyed reading Linda Krug’s analysis of how the governor’s budget decisions reflect an unfortunate shift from public to privatized education. Nonetheless, I think that the Statesman could have done more to place this dire news front and center. Students need to be informed of these imminent (yet still indefinite) changes and offer itself as a forum to list and discuss priorities before they are decided for the student body by the powers that be. Becky Edwards’s article on online courses does not state whether or not Pawlenty’s proposal is given as a possible solution to solve the 4.8 billion dollar shortfall.

However, that said, Emily Darrell’s article on energy drinks does provide useful information for students. Dehydration is deadly. I say this with absolute seriousness.

Alina Luch’s piece on UMD’s research on corrosion in the Duluth Harbor takes on Dr. David Beard’s challenge to use the Statesman to link the campus with the larger community. The piece is professional, clearly written, and reflects the important nature of Dr. Hicks’s research. The DNT has something to learn from Luch.

I love the juicy bit by Veronica Wilson on the stolen wallet and the pizza order. It could inspire a short story. It also reminds me of my alumni’s paper’s most popular weekly column: the campus police blotter which published the incident reports (minus perp’s names and other sensitive information) for everyone’s amusement. Any chance we could get away with this too?

The news bit on disabled parking makes me wonder if those cars occupying disabled spots displayed a legal disabled placard, or are students so desperate to find parking they are willing to risk steep fines and public hostility? Eric Johnson’s editorial points out that the shortage of disabled parking opens a larger debate on how parking has remained a low priority for facilities planning and development. This could lead to an investigation on why parking ramps have not been built and what it would take to improve the problem. Related to this, Johnson does not mention public transportation as a viable option. Many students may want to know who pays for their free DTA passes and how effective it has been in reducing the number of cars on campus, not to mention how it can impact personal transportation expenses of students living off-campus.

Variety
This segues well to Meghan Buttler’s piece on the drawbacks of off-campus housing. The article anticipates the lists of pros and cons that many students will be making in their minds next month, but her article only mentions the con of lead paint-an environmental hazard that worries few invincible 19-20 year olds. Try instead the risk of being fined $1000 for throwing a party where police find underage drinkers. Or having to shovel the sidewalk on the morning of an exam, or having to pay a $300 heating bill. These sobering drawbacks, coupled with the lack of parking spaces, could make the diminishing supply of off-campus rentals seem less tragic.

Ashley Goedker provides a valuable tip for a meaningful multicultural event, however it’s not clear if the 2009 Summit on Equality, Diversity and Multiculturalism is connected to the book discussions that are mentioned at the end of the article.

Unlike my colleague Dr. Beard, I appreciate the diversion of “Hollywood and Vine.” I would love to see the column describe fashion trends spotted here at UMD and then analyze how they reflect larger trends. For example, until the last few months, short hair on women has been an anomaly here. Now I see A-lines and posh bobs popping up in all of my classes. What accounts for this and why has it taken so long? Does UMD simply reflect Twin Cities fashion or does it have a style of its own? A focus on UMD as a microcosm of style could make “Hollywood and Vine” locally relevant and unique from national fashion columns.

Opinion
Austin Bowyer’s opinion piece on the Michael Phelps scandal provides an amusing rant on every student’s favorite piece of celebrity gossip, and he recognizes the banality of “even writing about this situation” when there are many more pressing issues. Let’s face it, “pressing” issues are depressing and it is way more fun to write about a fallen hero. I like to think that when something gets stuck in the gutter of our brain there’s usually a good reason for it, and if dredged properly, these grubby little items can lead to amazing insights. I do not find this in Bowyer’s column this week, but I have no doubts that he is capable of it.

Outdoors
I am proud that the Statesman recognizes what makes Duluth an appealing location and devotes a weekly section to exploiting its riches. Cowardin’s article shows no trace of the intimidation present in many other types of outdoor writing. I hope that he will follow up later with specific information on how to take the kayaks outdoors in the spring.

Ads
Ya’ll are doing well to fund the paper. Thanks for lumping the ads into the center so I don’t have to pay attention to them. It also saves articles from getting lost in-between pizza coupons and collegiate schwag.

Sports and the Average Guy
Jared Dyrdahl’s musings are honest and articulate, though I admit that I think about UMD’s women’s hockey team at least 5 times more often than the football team, they’re far more stylish and exotic . The main headline on the back page also serves to oppose his thesis. As an active woman I initially felt flattered by Dyrdahl’s argument that women make up for men’s size and strength with precision, but on second thought, I need more evidence. Unsupported generalizations about gender are harmful whether they are meant to praise, cajole, or condemn.

I must admit that like many of my public editor predecessors, I am a nerd that cannot provide any meaningful feedback on the sports page. I do commend the three of you for using action verbs, active voice, and providing clear stats without meaningless commentary.

-Avesa Rockwell