Frank Appleyard’s platform
Fellow Fulcrum-ites,
As I look ahead to the road stretched in front of the Fulcrum, it is impossible to not see great things on the horizon. This newspaper has set one hell of a precedent for itself, coming off a year that has seen it successfully host the 70th Canadian University Press (CUP) Conference, facilitate the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) election debates for the second straight year, publish in-depth coverage of said elections within mere hours of their conclusion, and reach a new level of financial stability only a handful of years after becoming autonomous.
This has been no small feat.
However, with these accomplishments in mind, I feel that the upcoming year is the Fulcrum’s time to grow. This is the year that this newspaper can become even greater than the paper it is today. Which, admittedly, is a pretty fucking awesome publication. I feel that I am the best person to see the Fulcrum through the year ahead, and to further advance this newspaper as the leading media outlet on campus.
I have tried to include a comprehensive summary of my thoughts in this platform. However, there is always the chance I have left something out or cut short my full opinion. Thus, I urge everyone to ask me as many questions as you desire about my platform and plans for the upcoming year. Admittedly, this platform is long, as I feel it should be for such an important position. However, I hope that you will all take the time to read it cover to cover and better inform yourselves.
Fulcrum staff and volunteers: I submit for your consideration my vision for your newspaper in 2008–09.
Part one: A little about me
While this document is intended to be a summary of my goals for the upcoming year, I feel I need to provide a little background on myself and my time at the Fulcrum. I am a Hamilton-born and bred journalism student with a passion for the written word. Simply put: newspapers are more than a creative hobby or a source of information to me. They represent my ultimate career goal and a significant part of my life.
I have been a Fulcrum-ite since my first day of class at the U of O two years ago when I wandered into the office and expressed interest in covering some football games. The months that have followed that encounter have been a whirlwind. I have served as your sports editor for four months, and currently find myself as your associate news editor. I have been lucky enough to attend two CUP national conferences, while having the honour to cover an absurd amount of events and newsworthy stories. I have also taken the opportunity to branch out from writing and editing to embrace the world of photojournalism as a frequent contributor to the Fulcrum’s design spaces.
Most recently, I have become familiar with the existing relationship between the editor-in-chief and the Fulcrum’s Board of Directors. Through this, I’ve learned that building a good relationship with the board is vital to the newspaper’s success. I’ve learned a fair bit about the business side of this newspaper, allowing me to see things not only from the editorial perspective.
And after all that… I haven’t even broken a sweat.
Part two: What I can bring to the party
Journalistic passion
I would like to hope that if when I leave the Fulcrum, I will be remembered for my love of journalism. That is one of the underpinnings of the person I am today, and has been present ever since I started reading a newspaper on a daily basis at the age of 7. (I read articles about the Toronto Maple Leafs. I didn’t know better… and apparently still don’t.)
In having the opportunity to run for this position, I hope that my love for, and study of journalism, rubs off on each and every staff member and volunteer at the Fulcrum. I believe it is vital for each and every person associated with this newspaper to have an appreciation for the world of journalism, whether or not they hope to work in the field.
Familiarity
With that introduction to my mentality aside, perhaps the single most important quality I can bring to this position is a familiarity with the University of Ottawa. I cannot possibly understate the importance of this commodity for the Fulcrum’s editor-in-chief. I believe that this position requires that a successful applicant have a thorough understanding of all facets of the university, given that the position requires one to effectively edit a newspaper focused primarily on the school. This includes the administration; strategic plans; SFUO executive, services and campaigns; Gee-Gee teams; club teams; student groups; and the dynamic that exists between all levels. I believe that I have this essential insight.
Having covered the school’s sports scene for a full year, I find myself still quoting (useless) statistics and facts. However, aside from these useless facts I have a wealth of information on the U of O’s sports services and its teams that will be necessary in leading this newspaper.
The same thing applies to the news section. I came into this year with very limited knowledge about the behind-the-scenes world at the U of O, and find myself now with more than I know what to do with. Such a familiarity is essential given that the vast majority of editorials are written by the editor-in-chief and are focused on the areas of university life I have highlighted above. I feel that it is not possible for a successful editor-in-chief applicant to be effective at their job without this familiarity with campus affairs. There is just too much hinging on the position to leave it to the uninformed.
In addition, I believe that the position of editor-in-chief encompasses far more than just editing content. I have observed Melanie Wood serve as the face of this newspaper at events on campus, showing up and taking an interest, talking to student and administration officials, and acting as a point of contact for those in the U of O community. In my time spent as an editor, I have tried to emulate this practice as much as possible, as I feel that involvement in and attachment to campus events is necessary to provide in-depth coverage. My familiarity with members of the U of O community through this active involvement is an essential commodity that will only serve me well in keeping a finger on the U of O pulse—a necessary aspect of the position.
Support
Next year presents a challenge for the Fulcrum given that neither Nick Taylor-Vaisey nor Melanie Wood—the Fulcrum’s two experienced news editing institutions—will be returning to the fold. This leaves myself as the sole staff member with any sort or editorial experience in the news section for the upcoming year. I feel that given my familiarity with generating and editing content for the news section, I am particularly well-placed to offer support to the incoming news editor. I will be able to provide guidance on things that are typically covered, on how to approach certain events or stories, and I will be able to comprehensively answer any questions that a freshman news editor is likely to have. I do believe that in any newspaper, above all else the news section must provide quality content to readers. I will help the news editor to realize their vision for the section and provide as much assistance and guidance as I can in easing his or her transition to the position.
However, this support will not extend only to the new news staff, but also directly to all other members of the editorial board. Having served as sports editor, I am equally well equipped to assist the section’s new editor in any way possible, drawing on my own experience. I feel that through my familiarity with the Fulcrum and coverage of past years I am also knowledgeable enough to lend assistance to both arts and features editors where necessary.
Past editors-in-chief have typically been associated with the print element of the newspaper. And rightly so. The written content of the newspaper should be the first concern for this position. However, if elected, I would bring a unique skill to the position: familiarity with the newspaper’s art elements. Given my extensive track record as a contributor to the Fulrcum’s photo galleries, I believe I will be able to offer a high degree of support to the art director through critique of the art selected for stories, and knowing what separates a photo with story to tell from just another snapshot.
While I will offer as much support as necessary, I also hope that other staff and volunteers alike will feel free to come to me with concerns or ideas. I will maintain an open door policy with the ultimate goal of fostering open communication with everyone involved with the Fulcrum. Support through these lines of communication will be absolutely necessary to maintain a closeness that will prove vital in seeing the Fulcrum through this important year.
My schedule
Less importantly—but still notably—I offer you all of my time. If I am elected to this position, I will not be taking any classes throughout the publishing year. This means that my sole commitment will be to the Fulcrum, and to making sure that the product on stands every week is the best it possibly can be. I have heard repeatedly that this position is incredibly demanding, and I feel that by clearing my schedule of classes and dedicating all of my time to the newspaper, I will be able to effectively carry out the duties expected of an editor-in-chief. The nature of my free time also means that I will be free to help out any editor who needs assistance in filling their assignments. I would love to continue taking pictures and writing content if an editor is swamped and needs help. I would be a pillar of support for editors in this way as well.
Part three: Editorial vision – “Broadsheet quality in a tabloid format”
In a recent conversation, I indicated that if I were a newspaper I would be a broadsheet, rather than a tabloid. It is the serious journalist in me that shines through in this respect. I feel that the Fulcrum has a duty to the community it serves to provide readers with an unbiased take on current events at the U of O. If that means calling people out, so be it. We should not be afraid to hold someone (or something) over the coals when they deserve it. However, I stop short of advocating any sort of sensational journalism. I believe that the Fulcrum exists to provide criticism where criticism is due—not to hunt for it. Our overarching goal should be to provide well-researched stories that allow readers to draw their own conclusions. We exist to cover both sides of the coin, giving equal space and consideration to the good and bad at the university. My broadsheet vision applies most obviously to the news section, where I feel reporting should be serious, with a view to better informing students about relevant current affairs. Arts, sports, features, and opinions all have a duty to provide similarly serious content, but also have leeway to get include more entertainment-based content.
In terms of editorials, I feel that we should always take a stance, albeit a productive one. There is no place in a newspaper to tear someone down and just wash our hands of the issue. If someone fucks up, we should embrace the opportunity to tell the world about it and what our stance is. However, with the privilege of having this influential outlet comes responsibility. We should provide solutions or alternatives wherever possible to avoid simply burning down the subject and running away. This type of journalism is irresponsible, and is not the type of reporting that I believe in.
Ultimately, I feel that the ideal balance for our newspaper is:
-A news section unafraid to provide critical insight into the U of O community, but also present to celebrate the successes of the university community when warranted. Additionally, it should cover student issues from across the country via the CUP newswire.
-An arts and culture section serving as a magazine-esque read, offering richly-written reviews and previews interspersed with entertaining content highlighting the diversity of tastes and interests that exist both at the U of O and in the broader student community.
-Features that are instantly appealing to a wide range of students and will leave readers feeling more knowledgeable in an area they previously knew little.
-A sports section that will go beyond mere game reviews, but approach sports from a broader perspective and incorporate content featuring athletes not necessarily wearing garnet and grey. And, if the Gee-Gees suck: tell people.
-An opinion section offering a variety of content, touching on both the serious and the downright hilarious. Point-counterpoints about the best Harrison Ford role (Hans Solo or Indiana Jones) should be found alongside criticisms of the federal government’s inability to for students.
In essence, I am a firm believer in serious journalism, and I stand by my broadsheet beliefs. However I am well aware that the Fulcrum offers far more than journalism. We have a duty to be serious, but also as a member of the alternative press, we can have a hell of a lot of fun. We can get away with countless things that mainstream media would get castrated for. That’s the fun of being involved in an alternative publication. Truth be told, such edgy, satirical, tongue-in-cheek content is a main reason why a lot of volunteers are drawn to the Fulcrum—and why the alternative press is so damn popular—and I steadfastly believe it needs to be maintained. We are students after all.
With that being said, I also feel that satire and shit disturbing has a time and a place, and a story on a tuition fee increase probably isn’t the place for it. There is a balance, and I would work to make sure the Fulcrum continues to be known for combining liberal amounts of serious content with equal parts “not taking ourselves too seriously”.
Part four: Vision for the year ahead
Into the community
The Fulcrum is one thing above all others: The English voice of the U of O community. Thousands of students pick up this newspaper every week to get informed, be entertained, and hopefully become closer with the campus. In this vein, the Fulcrum is an essential part of the University of Ottawa. We are the fourth-largest student newspaper in Canada, and arguably the most influential media outlet on campus. As such, we wield a significant amount of power.
However, in many cases I feel that the Fulcrum is not as active and visible within the community as it should be. Historically, newspapers serve a far greater function than to simply put out a frequent issue and consider their job done. The newspaper has always been—and remains today—a significant player in the communities that they serve. This year, the Fulcrum has the opportunity to take a significant step towards becoming more than just a weekly paper—but a community institution for discussion, debate, and more importantly, the sharing of information. Such a vision sounds good, but is likely difficult to quantify for many people. In an attempt to explain my vision, here are examples of how I feel the Fulcrum can become a more active part of the U of O community beyond its current role as a weekly publisher.
Events
The Fulcrum’s primary purpose is to inform and educate. However, I feel that we can—and must—increasingly do this beyond the pages of our newspaper. I would like to see the Fulcrum initiate events for students that work to provide both information and dialogue. I feel that the best way to achieve this is to host guest speakers on campus. We proved at this year’s CUP conference that the Fulcrum has considerable sway in luring influential speakers to speak to students. I would like to see speakers presented by the Fulcrum become a regular event—and this is a logical step given the current allocation of funds for budget planning. If necessary, I would not hesitate to lobby the Board of Directors if additional funding becomes necessary to hold such events.
In this vision, I feel that there is an excellent opportunity for tie-ins to our print content. For example, if we have the foresight to plan to run a feature on eating disorders on a certain date, we can coordinate an event with a panel of speakers from the community discussing the issue. This is all about going beyond the pages of our newspaper to reach students more effectively. If promoted properly via posters and house ads, I feel that such events can be a fantastic success and raise the Fulcrum’s profile as a community institution.
Seen, heard and read
Stands across campus are filled with copies of our paper sporting our logo. However, beyond these stands there is very little in the way of promotion of the newspaper on campus. If the Fulcrum indeed aspires to become a more identifiable part of the U of O community, I feel that some promotion is a necessary—and good—thing. With the newspaper enjoying its best financial state since becoming autonomous, I feel that there is arguably room in the budget for a small promotional fund. Such a fund could be used to partner with prominent U of O community members in an effort to raise the Fulcrum’s profile. An obvious example of such a move would be a partnership with Sports Services to promote the Fulcrum at every Gee-Gees game as some sort of official newspaper of the Gee-Gees—an arrangement which I have been assured by Sports Services that they are interested in, and would not be financially prohibitive.
I would also like to work with the Board of Directors to finance a couple of new banners—not unlike the banner hanging outside the office—that can be taken to events and used to further promote the newspaper and raise its profile among students.
I also see no reason why—if appropriate—the Fulcrum cannot jointly present speakers or events organized by other community players such as the SFUO. It would be another outlet for the Fulcrum to showcase itself as an active member of the community. It may come down to little more than our logo displayed on the advertising posters and a well-placed banner at the event itself, but it is nevertheless an effective vehicle of promotion.
With the editorial board’s blessing, I hope to work with the Fulcrum’s Board of Directors and business manager to come up with effective promotional strategies to better place the newspaper as an active member of the U of O community.
The two-way street
A big part of being a community newspaper is being accessible to members of the community. We have a tremendous responsibility not only as a voice on campus, but as a newspaper funded by our readers. This means that we need to be accountable to the same people who give us their money.
Our relationship with our readers should not be a one-way street where we put out a newspaper, people read it, and that’s the end.
Rather, there must be a two-way flow. If people don’t like what we’re putting on stands every week, we must be accessible to their complaints and what they want to see in our newspaper. I concede that we are currently accessible through printing our contact information in the newspaper. However, I feel that one small step should be weekly house ads or other information encouraging readers to direct their criticisms, congratulations, or complaints about the newspaper to editor@thefulcrum.ca so that they can be dealt with by the editorial board, if warranted. This is a small step that can be taken to make the Fulcrum more accessible to the community it serves, and ultimately more accountable to readers.
On a different level, I feel that introducing opinion polls as a regular part of the letters or opinions section would be a great way to encourage this two-way flow. This would require some work with the webmaster to enable readers to go online and vote on a pre-determined topic, where the results will be published next week alongside a new poll. I feel this is an excellent way to offer readers more input into the newspaper outside of the letters section, and build on the comments function now available on thefulcrum.ca.
Ultimately, we need to foster the relationship with our readers to bring the Fulcrum in from the periphery of student life. By encouraging a two-way relationship, we can achieve this goal.
There are of course financial benefits towards such a move into making the Fulcrum a more involved community member. By making a concerted effort to better engage our readership, we can hopefully increase our number of regular readers, and thus command more advertising revenue. However, this is only one of the additional benefits. The editorial advantages in themselves are reason enough to take on this challenge.
Our levy
The Fulcrum receives a significant chunk of its operating budget from U of O students through a student levy. The funds received through this levy directly affect the ability of the Fulcrum to put out a quality publication and to be the influential information source that the community has come to expect. The Fulcrum is the fourth-largest student newspaper in Canada—a title that comes with high expectations of what we can achieve. However, I feel that our levy lets the newspaper down in many respects by limiting our ability to offer students the best quality week in and week out. I believe that in campaigning for a referendum proposing to increase our levy payment, we have the opportunity to both better handle our costs and expand our services in the future to offer the services expected of such a massive newspaper.
Our levy currently stands at $2.80 per fall and winter semester from full-time students. In comparison, the University of Calgary’s Gauntlet earns $3.50 per session from its full-time students, the University of Saskatchewan’s Sheaf earns $3.36 per semester and even little Langara College’s Gleaner gets at least $1.92 per semester plus 25 cents for every credit a student is enrolled in (up to 15 credits). Similarly, other media outlets at the U of O garner significant support.
To me, these numbers show not simply a deficit, but an opportunity. It is easy for a newspaper to incessantly whine “we need more money”, and effectively piss off the student body voting for such an increase. However, I feel that the Fulcrum has a legitimate case to campaign to have our levy raised modestly. I feel that we are already well-respected on campus—and if we weren’t I wouldn’t even be considering putting this to the editorial board, never mind a student referendum. However, we have an opportunity to make students see how they will benefit from better supporting the Fulcrum.
My plan—as stated above—to see the Fulcrum become more involved in the community can be facilitated in years to come through this increased levy. I feel that there are several ways in which an increased levy can be put to use by improving our services to the U of O community.
- As the sole English-language print journalism-training provider at the university, we have the opportunity to engage aspiring journalists and offer them an outlet to hone their skills. I believe that in an effort to better engage aspiring journalists at the U of O—whether journalism students of not—we can use a portion of this money to offer scholarships to students with an active interest in both journalism and the Fulcrum. I am not proposing a massive amount—perhaps two $500 scholarships. We have a duty to give back to the students that support us, and I feel that this is an extremely effective way of doing so.
- My lofty vision for better involving the Fulcrum in the community will not come without a price tag. Accordingly, I feel that the funds earned from an increase in our student levy would be best appropriated in defraying the costs associated with holding events for students across campus. In doing so, a levy increase will likely be more easily accepted by U of O students.
Admittedly, any student levy increase would not occur until after the upcoming publishing year, in which I have already indicated a desire to better involve the Fulcrum in the community. This year would be primarily about baby steps, and making the initial (read: cheap) moves towards the ultimate vision of an involved newspaper. However, funds gained from an increased levy can ensure that these baby steps grow in the years to come, and will offer future editorial boards the room to expand their offerings if they so desire.
In essence, consider a higher student levy to be a future fund for an expanded Fulcrum.
- Lastly, the most obvious way that we can improve our services to students is in the product in readers’ hands. By seeking an increased levy, the Fulcrum will be able to put a better product on stands every week. This may take the form of more frequent use of ultra white paper for our covers or features, more colour pages every week, or improved camera equipment to offer better photos.
Additionally, the Fulcrum set a massive precedent by offering next day coverage of the SFUO elections this year. In doing so we proved that it is possible from a manpower and logistics perspective to provide such coverage. With an increased student levy, we will be able to more frequently offer such bonus coverage of important events, without having to worry as much about crowding our printing budget. If we can commit to offering timely coverage of events important to readers, it would be an extremely effective and beneficial use of increased funds.
In terms of numbers, I feel that proposing an increase to the neighborhood of $3.50 per full-time student per semester would go a long way in improving the Fulcrum’s reach throughout the U of O community, while not alienating students through needless overcharging. Any campaign for a referendum on a levy increase will be about how U of O students will benefit from paying more to the Fulcrum coffers. By making a clear pitch highlighting the ways in which we can improve our service to the U of O community, we stand to gain a tremendous boost that will not only further add to our financial security but also allow the Fulcrum to become a more visible U of O staple. I plan to propose this campaign to both the editorial board and board of directors to judge interest in carrying out such a campaign, and ultimately to spearhead the effort if it is approved.
The U of O media conglomerate
Ok, so it’s not exactly a media conglomerate. What I am referring to is the presence of other media on campus. The Fulcrum is one of four media outlets, including La Rotonde, Zoom Productions, and CHUO 89.1fm. The presence of these four outlets offers an exciting opportunity for partnerships in many respects. This year’s SFUO election debates are a fantastic example of how this partnership can be put to work, where the two newspapers moderated the debate while CHUO and Zoom Productions each made the content available to students via their respective mediums.
I would like to continue this partnership, as I feel it ultimately is in the best interest of students, who stand to gain tremendously from the increased access to information. If anything, I feel that we should jump at the opportunity to expand these relationships in the future. (The SFUO elections are likely the best opportunity to continue this coverage, specifically at the results night, which in all honesty, is a gong show.) I would love to explore the possibilities for a relationship with other media, if this means that the CHUO news is taken from the Fulcrum, or if La Rotonde and the Fulcrum can continue to help each other out with photos when needed.
In the end, we’re all in the same game together, and we stand to gain far more from being open and helping each other out than we can from being a closed institution.
I have been a frequent contributing photographer to La Rotonde this year, as well as an informal co-host of a weekly university affairs program on CHUO. With the relationships I have already established from these opportunities, I feel that I am in a good position to lead the Fulcrum into future partnerships with the other campus media.
Similarly, we are lucky enough to have another CUP paper in Carleton’s Charlatan just across the canal from us. There is the opportunity for partnerships if not in coverage then certainly in hosting workshops and other learning opportunities, much like the one that the Charlatan hosted earlier this year. With such a large pool of resources available to both papers, I would get in touch with the Charlatan’s editor-in-chief very early in my term to assess any potential for partnerships throughout the year that will benefit our staff and volunteers.
Editorial board retreat
With money no longer being the extremely scarce commodity that it once was around this office, I feel comfortable in lobbying to see a more extensive editorial board retreat for the upcoming year. The cohesiveness of the editorial board is absolutely paramount to the success of the publishing year. As the editorial board goes, so too does the newspaper.
A retreat at the end of the summer is a necessary opportunity to bring together the board in anticipation of the eight months of work ahead. It offers a chance to familiarize new members with the paper itself and the copy chain, share essential information about the campus community as a whole, discuss problems and concerns, and make sure we’re ready to kick ass when the first production rolls around.
However, it is also an opportunity to bond for a couple of days and get a little closer with fellow board members. Given the potential for a plethora of rookie editorial board members for the upcoming year, I feel that a focus on bonding and creating the ideal work environment will need to be a major part of any retreat.
This year’s retreat was a pretty informal affair revolving around a meeting in the office, some barbeque, bowling, and, yes, beer. I would like to see something equally informal for the upcoming year, although perhaps in a different setting. I would take the proposal to editorial board members to see if they are interested in a two-day retreat to somewhere outside of this office, with the goal of building a great team dynamic. I have few firm ideas at this time, as it is a group decision. However, I feel that a day or two out of town at a cottage, in Montreal, or something of the like can be done relatively simply and cost-effectively for all editorial board members.
If the new editorial board is interested in such a vision for the retreat, I will actively lobby the Board of Directors to secure a budget line to cover some costs for the retreat, as I feel it will be an absolutely essential event. If this lofty vision isn’t feasible, a retreat that is at the very least similar to this year’s is a must.
Conferences
Having had the opportunity to attend the CUP 69 national conference in Vancouver, I have experienced first hand the commitment the Fulcrum has to being a part of the national conference. (Oh yeah. And that whole hosting the show helped a lot too…) I was just a volunteer when I received the chance to travel to Vancouver with the Fulcrum’s very, very large delegation and take in the ridiculous amount of knowledge that this conference offers. Given that experience, I know how beneficial such a conference can be to volunteers and editors alike.
The Fulcrum has traditionally sent a large contingent to CUP’s national conferences, and I want to carry on this tradition and give as many volunteers and editors as possible the opportunity to benefit from this opportunity.
Next year’s conference in Saskatoon will require a similar amount of fundraising and support to send a delegation as large as the Vancouver conference’s. However, I believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of this conference, and want to continue the Fulcrum’s large role in CUP’s national conference. I will work with the Board of Directors and editorial board to ensure that large, inclusive delegations remain a part of the Fulcrum tradition.
On a lesser scale, there is also the Ontario Region CUP conference. Although it is a relatively small affair, I feel that the Fulcrum should always be represented by more than one or two token members. This is far from the big show of the national conference, but I will make sure that several members from the Fulcrum get the opportunity to attend the seminars and get the most out of the experience.
Volunteer recruitment
The Fulcrum depends on volunteers to keep section editors from losing their minds on a weekly basis. This is an unassailable fact. In that vein, we need to make sure that there are as many volunteers walking into 631 King Edward as possible. While there is an ever-present pool of volunteers who remain dedicated to the Fulcrum week in and week out, I feel that a significant group of potential volunteers has been passed over in recruiting efforts.
There are roughly 60 journalism students at the U of O who chose to attend this school with a view to specializing in print journalism. The nature of the program gives students two years at the U of O with no formal journalism training before they move to Algonquin College for their formal training. In this group of students are students with a passion for writing—specifically in a newspaper setting. For whatever reason, most do not seem to seek a relationship with the Fulcrum.
As such, it is time that the Fulcrum work to actively pursue these students. Given my status as a journalism student, I would work with the U of O’s Department of Communication to include these students in Fulcrum volunteer mail outs with a view to hopefully bringing some into the fold.
Sixty students with an interest in print journalism is not a group that a volunteer-hungry newspaper can afford to ignore when there is so much to be gained by all.
Aside from targeting the U of O’s journalism students, I feel that much more can be done to increase relations between the Fulcrum and potential volunteers. I would like to work closely with the volunteer and visibility coordinator to come up with strategies that go beyond infrequent mass e-mails and house ads. We need to take the battle to the students. Classroom presentations should be frequent and all-encompassing in September. We need to push the Fulcrum at every opportunity to new and students alike. Banners, buttons, pens, posters…anything to rope people in to listening about how awesome our newspaper is and why they need to get involved. The rest of the year, the Fulcrum needs to remain visible to students with hopes of luring more eager volunteers into this newspaper factory. On top of the abundance of postering space on campus—which needs to be used more effectively—there is reserved advertising space in the lounge area of the Unicentre that can be put to better use in promoting the Fulcrum and recruiting volunteers.
I hope to be a catalyst for a much more active volunteer recruiting system that will help to make the Fulcrum an even more inclusive publication. And keep editors’ sanity intact.
Editorial board
An editorial board is by definition a united organism with one voice and one viewpoint. This means that all members are on the same page regarding an editorial stance, and stand behind each argument that is made within the editorial. I hope to reinforce this sentiment among next year’s editorial board through encouraging debate and discussion at the weekly editorial board meeting to ultimately reach a firm consensus. The editorial board should be united on the editorial topic of the week, with each member holding more than just a cursory understanding of the topic in question. If we are printing inherently opinionated content, each member of the board responsible for the content should be in 100 per cent agreement with the arguments, and contribute their own arguments to the debate. This involves more than a simple ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ to sign off on the editorial.
In essence, I am proposing a focus on the united voice of an editorial board based on informed discussion and consensus building.
However, the diverse content and interests represented by editorial board members often do not allow for equal understanding of important topics. I am not so naïve as to believe that all members will understand the significance of issues as much as others. This is why education is essential in ensuring the formation of a shared opinion.
As part of my vision of the Fulcrum as an integral part of the U of O community, I would like to see the Fulcrum’s editorial board welcome members of the community into the board meetings to share their views and opinions on important issues to better inform the entire board. There is no reason for a significant news event to occur on campus and have only the news editor properly informed, if an editorial representing the views of the entire board is being written on the topic.
This is a practice frequently used by daily newspapers. Upon the breaking of significant news, the editorial board will invite the major player in the news to a meeting to share their views so that the entire editorial board can receive the same information and have the opportunity to question and critique. In a U of O context, this may involve inviting the SFUO president to speak for a few minutes regarding the SFUO’s latest endeavour. This serves to put all members of the editorial board on the same page when it is time to form opinion and arguments for the week’s editorial stance. Such an initiative would allow the editorial board to be the true united voice necessary in a successful publication.
Fun
I’ll keep this part short.
Media Bowl II.
Let’s beat La Rotonde in the winter too! Volleyball? Floor hockey? Basketball? Why not?! I’m sure someone can find a hood ornament that we can put up for grabs for a winter competition with our rival newspaper.
Hell, let’s take on CHUO and Zoom and fully establish our dominance of the U of O!
And it wouldn’t be a complete year unless we can amaze the Charlatan with our kick ass
Trivial Pursuit skill, or any other board game we choose to destroy them at.
The main point of this is that I feel there is a need for these group events, as they serve to create a closer bond between staff and volunteers, and contribute to the overall family atmosphere at this fine newspaper. They’re vital for building the relationships between editors and volunteers that we depend on as a newspaper. Even our legendary parties offer an opportunity to build these relationships. Let’s do more!
Part five: In closing
There is nothing I want more than to be your editor-in-chief next year. I feel that I am extremely well suited for this position, and will bring the right mix of experience and vision to help the Fulcrum grow into the respected community institution that it is capable of being.
Next year will be an immensely important year for the Fulcrum, with a changing of the guard in both the president and editor-in-chief positions. I believe that I am the person to provide the stability necessary to lead the newspaper through this transition and set it on the right path for years to come.
I’ve said enough. If anyone has questions, please ask them. Get a hold of me at associatenews@thefulcrum.ca and engage me in my vision for your newspaper. I’m looking forward to talking to you all.
Finally, if you agree with what you’ve read so far, please vote Frank.
Sincerely,
Frank Appleyard
