0 The Daily Collegian
Editorial Opinion
Board of Opinion answers all
you want to know about edits
Q: What is an editorial?
A: An editorial is a staple of
most newspapers, allowing each
publication to provide an informed
opinion about current events.
Editorials (commonly called
"edits") appear in this box every
day to provoke thought and
awareness.
Q: Who decides what issues will
be editorialized on each day?
A: At The Daily Collegian, the
editor in chief and the opinion
editors draft a list of issues to be
discussed at a weekly Board of
Opinion meeting. The board is
comprised of 17 staff members
who debate the issues to reach
an opinion based on majority
agreement. The members are
chosen by the opinion editors and
the editor in chief to bring
together diverse experience and
ideology.
Q: How do the edits get into this
box?
A: The edit writer a board
member bases the content on
the board's discussion. The edit
is not a personal opinion but one
of group consensus. However,
individual writing style makes
each edit original.
After the edit is written, the
opinion editors read it with the
writer to check style and spel
ling and to ensure the board's
opinion is clearly stated. The
editor in chief must give final
approval before the edit is
published.
Q: Where does the board get its
information?
A: The board examines news
coverage from local, state and
national media, including the
Collegian, The Centre Daily Times,
The Harrisburg Patriot, The
the Collegian
daily
Wednesday, August 25, 1993
©1993 Culleglan Inc.
Editor
Mike Abrams
Business Manager
Walter F. Gorba
The Daily Collegian's ecitorial opinion is determined
by its Board of Opinion, with the editor holding
final responsibility. Opinions expressed on the
editorial pages are not necessarily those of The
Daily Collegian, Collegian Inc. or The Penn
sylvania State University. Collegian Inc., pub
lishers of The Daily Collegian and related
publications, is a separate corporate institution
from Penn State.
Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be
presented to the editor. Business and advertising
Inside the real world: Hold on to your hat and speak up
Welcome to the real world.
You're in for the ride
of your life. Please keep
your hands and feet inside the cars.
Do not stand up.
This real world moves fast. Peo
ple have thoughts and ideas, and they
are quick to share them with you.
Sometimes you will agree; some
times you won't. This real world has
friendships, battlegrounds and
infrequent cease-fires.
This real world moves too fast
that might just be the problem. The
people, places and things that scape
the land in this real world move at
a feverish pace.
There are leaders who direct policy.
There are athletes who play the
games. There are activists who lobby
and cajole. There are fundamen
talists, fanatics, lunatics and everyday
"Janes" and "Joes." None of them
march to the beat of the same drum.
Then there are the media more
specifically in this real world, The
Daily Collegian. We are the chas
ers. Our job is to seek out the dif
ferent paths all the Janes and Joes
are taking, then make some sense
of it in each morning's paper.
It is not an easy job to anticipate
and track so many people going so
Philadelphia Inquirer and The
New York Times. Edit writers
often do additional research and
interviews for more complete
information.
Q: Are edits considered news?
A: No. Opinion and news are
separate entities. The opinion
editors do not influence news
coverage, nor does the manag
ing editor dictate the content of
the opinions page. Although edits
are opinion, they do contain factual
information to support the
argument.
Q: Does the University influ
ence Collegian editorials?
A: No. The Collegian is pub
lished independently by stu
dents, and the Board of Opinion
exercises complete editorial
freedom.
Q: Does the Board of Opin
ion's editorial stance reflect a
hidden agenda for the opinions
page?
A: No. The opinions page is a
marketplace of ideas. Although
the board's edits consistently may
relect one ideal, the board strives
for fairness and is just one voice
in that marketplace. The page
allows for diverse and opposing
expression through letters to the
editor, reader forums and col
umns.
Q: Can readers respond teen
editorial?
A: Yes. Anyone can write a
letter to the editor. Letters must
be no longer than two typed,
double-spaced pages and must
include the writer's name. Readers
can also call the editor in chief
or the opinion editors at 865-1828
to respond to edits.
complaints should be presented to the business manager.
If a complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, some
grievances may be filed with the Accuracy and Fair
Play Committee of Collegian Inc. Information on filing
grievances is available from Gerry Lynn Hamilton,
executive secretary, Collegian Inc.
Letters Policy: The Daily Collegian encourages
comments on news coverage, editorial policy and
University affairs. Letters must be typewritten, dou
ble-spaced and no longer than two pages. Forums must
also be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than
three pages.
Students' letters should include semester standing,
major and campus of the writer. Letters from alumni
should indude the major and year of graduation of the
writer. AU writers should provide their address and phone
number for verification of the letter. Letters should be
signed by no more than two people. Names may be
withheld on request.
The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for
length and to reject letters if they are libelous or do
not conform to standards of good taste. Because of
the number of letters received, the Collegian cannot
guarantee publication of all the letters it receives. Letters
may also be selected for publication in The Weekly
Collegian. All letters received become the property of
Collegian Inc.
From the Editor
many directions so fast. That is how
we end up in the middle of. con
troversy.
Controversy itself isn't trouble.
However, the way we in the media
sometimes deal with controversy is.
The only way to solve problems and
settle disputes is through careful
dialogue and understanding from all
sides.
The Collegian has had its share of
controversy. Veteran readers don't
need me to remind them of plenty
of controversial columnists and
editorials from the recent and not
so-recent past. New readers, you too,
inevitably will hear a hearty sup
ply of "Collegian stories."
I'm not writing today to dispel
Opinions
myths. I'm not writing to make
excuses for the things we have
printed and will print. I am writing
to offer a little insight into how
controversy seems to erupt around
some of the material we publish.
The Column: About a year and
a half ago Chino Wilson wrote one
of the most controversial columns
to hit this campus. It is impossible
to characterize Wilson's entire piece
in just a paragraph or two, and that
is where the trouble started.
Wilson wrote a volatile column that
touched on sensitive racial issues and
promoted violence as a means of
defense, which many people in our
real world had a hard time swal
lowing. After the column appeared,
two protesters picketed in front of
our offices. A reporter for a national
wire service filed a story that
exaggerated the situation, and various
local and national media outlets
reprinted excerpts and summaries
of the column.
People on the streets in our real
world and the real world talked and
argued about the column, often
relying on second-hand informa
tion and incomplete descriptions
about the original column. The
Collegian took a lot of heat for it.
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Reader Opinion
Please recycle
I am writing to you today, full of anger,
concerning the apathy of the Penn State
student body and the State College com
munity toward Mother Earth and our
environment. Although there are many
aspects of our environment that are being
ruined and destroyed by humans on a daily
basis, the primary focus of this letter is
recycling.
Both the State College community and Penn
State have made much progress in recy
cling aluminum, glass, mixed paper,
newspaper and plastic. Recycling bins are
readily accessible in most main buildings
and dorms on campus, and the State Col
lege recycling crew picks up recyclables
at every home once a week.
This is why I feel disgust and anger when
I walk down College Avenue or through the
HUB and find waste cans literally over
flowing with aluminum Pepsi cans, glass kiwi
strawberry Snapple bottles and copies of
The Daily Collegian. There is no excuse for
this type of laziness. Contrary to popular
belief, custodians and maintenance work
ers do not sort your recyclables out of the
trash cans.
Please take a little more effort in caring
for our environment. Please carry your
Snapple bottle the extra block home or put
the newspaper in your bag until you find
a recycling bin. We must set aside our
immediate convenience for the well-being
of our delicate planet and all living crea
tures that depend upon it.
Kathleen Szybist
sophomore-division of undergraduate studies
A new voice
A liberal, free-thinking, committed citi
zenry in the Penn State community is not
a new phenomenon. What is new, however,
is a publication for the thought-provoking
and diverse writing characteristic of that
group. Not particularly well-represented in
existing local media, we are ready to take
action and build momentum.
Organizational and production efforts are
underway, and will result in the publica
tion of VOICES of Central Pennsylvania: A
liberal periodical of news and opinion. Written
primarily by and for Central Pennsylvania
residents, including members of the Penn
State community, this inclusive journal will
A WA.
ilk-Asuize
- ro Neel -
YOU ,
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►AUK
"Our reporters and editors strive to comfort the
afflicted and afflict the comfortable. We are
watchdogs aggressive and hungry. That is our
job."
In response, the Collegian's Board
of Opinion published the First
Amendment in the editorial box on
this very page. Many readers nev
er questioned the Collegian's con
stitutional protection, but focused on
"why?" the editors at the time did
what they did.
Perhaps if the editors had taken
the time to explain in an open forum
on the Opinions page some of their
reasons for printing the column, some
of the confusion and excitement could
have been prevented. Of course, I
look back on the situation with the
benefit of 20/20 hindsight.
That ability to look back on past
mistakes has been one of my most
valuable tools as I wade through the
uncharted territory as editor.
Roller Coaster Ride: There are
a lot of things I have witnessed in
my three years on the Collegian staff.
We have covered some stories well,
IONS!
Iri3
strive to create a community that accepts
and cares about men and women of diverse
ages, classes, races, ethnic and social groups.
We extend to you an invitation to join us,
at whatever level you choose, in promot
ing a fresh and challenging perspective.
Experience and energy are welcome in
diverse areas from production and writing
to typing and distribution. Although some
initial funding has been provided by sponsors
Svoboda's Books, 227 W. Beaver Ave.,
Committee for Penn State (COPS) and Ni-
Ta-Nee NOW, the local chapter of the
National Organization for Women more
is clearly needed. The malignant, record
setting growth of hate groups in Pennsyl
vania and increasing right-wing intol
erance, as evidenced in Rush Limbaugh's
show and another local publication, should
be countered.
Don't just sit by. Send your tax-deduct
ible check and/or your skills and interest
areas to: VOICES of Central Pennsylvania,
P.O. Box 10961, Calder Square, State Col
lege Pa. 16805-0961. (Friend: $10; Bronze
Voice: $25; Silver Voice: $5O; Gold Voice:
$100; Patron: more than $100).
Alycia A. Chambers
co-coordinator for Ni-Ta-Nee NOW
Arthur Goldschmidt
professor of Middle East history
WANTED: COLUMNISTS AND CARTOONISTS
The Daily Collegian needs 10 witty, incisive columnists for the Fall
Semester. We are also looking for people to create political
cartoons about local events and issues once a week.
Applicants need not be journalism majors, but officers of student
organizations and Undergraduate Student Government members
are not eligible.
Applications are available at the Collegian office, 123
S. Burrowes St., and are due by noon Thursday, Sept. 2. No late
applications will be accepted.
A list of columnist interview candidates and times will be posted
on the bulletin board in the office by 1 p.m. Sept. 3. Interviews
will be conducted The following week. A list of selected
cartoonist will also be posted.
Any questions should be directed to opinion editors Rebecca
Fishkin or R.J. Hufnag,el9t 865-1828.
and we have made some grave
mistakes.
Sometimes a reporter or editor
spells a name wrong or misquotes
a source. Sometimes a story is
missing an important element. A lot
of times a story turns out just fine.
As we climb the hills and scream
and laugh as we drop on our roller
coaster ride, we will experience the
joys of success and the sicknesses
of failure.
You may sit in a classroom reading
a story this semester, and some
thing in the words might frustrate
you. The paper you read might
infuriate you just as our suc
cesses might blow right by you.
I sit with a team of more than 120
people in a classroom the
Collegian. We are working on sto
ries, taking photographs and cre
ating graphics all for the sake of
learning. You are an important part
Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1993
Write a letter
Do you have an opinion you want to share
with your classmates and professors?
Have you noticed something on campus
or downtown that you think people should
know about?
If awareness and expression are impor
tant to you, don't just tell a few friends.
Spread the word and help others know what
is going on around them. Write to The Daily
Collegian.
You can submit letters at the Collegian's
business office, 123 S. Burrowes St. Photo
identification is required. If you cannot drop
your letter off, mail it to the same address.
Please include your name and telephone
number.
Letters should be no longer than two,
double-spaced typed pages. Letters up to
three pages may be accepted as reader
forums.
The Collegian reserves the right to reject
or edit letters for space and accuracy. All
letters become the property of Collegian Inc.
Do you have any questions? Please contact
opinion editors Rebecca Fishkin or R.J.
Hufnagel at 865-1828.
of that process. You must be an active
watchdog toward the material we
publish.
Our reporters and editors strive
to comfort the afflicted and afflict
the comfortable. We are watch
dogs aggressive and hungry. That
is our job. We certainly pursue
honesty, truth and fairness. How
ever, pursuit can fall short.
What I urge each of you to do is
recognize what we are trying to do.
We offer what we believe to be a
complete representation of the news
and views in our real world and the
one "out there." If you ever have
questions about the material we
publish, call me at the office.
In the end, what is important is that
you, the readers, must afflict us. You
must hold us accountable. We will
continue to print the news and views
every day. We will try to learn from
our mistakes and use our 20/20
hindsight.
I ask you to come to us when you
have a problem.
Hold on. It will be a wild ride
Mike Abrams is a senior majoring
in journalism and the Collegian's
editor in chief.