From campus-wide news to What's Happening and the Police Log (starting in our first regular issue on August 29th), we try to stay on top of what's going on. Because the paper is entirely student produced, our staff has a big responsibility. From the writers and photographers to the layout and business staffs, everyone chips in and we all have a good time.
Perhaps you would like to help us out. Although some members of the staff do spend a lot of time working on the paper, you don't necessarily have to make a huge commitment.
To be on the writing staff, for example, you'd just have to write two articles per term, covering the stories you want to see covered. We're more than willing to help you with problems you have, whether you're doing that first interview or just want to know who to contact for a particular story lead. This is perhaps the most visible part of the paper, you get the by-line that you can send home to the folks. Newspeak values its writers, for they can give that student perspective that the administration doesn't always have.
But there is far more that goes on here to make sure that a quality paper goes out every week. First, we need money in order to operate effectively. Essentially, we are a small business. Though a portion of our funds come from your social fee, through the Student Government Association, roughly 2/3 of our budget consists of revenue from advertising. It takes smart people to stay on top of all the paperwork, but this is WPI and you've already been accepted. Without our business staff, it would be very difficult to operate.
This paper is intended for the WPI community, especially the students. But it reaches much farther than the edges of campus. First, we are on-line on the World Wide Web (http://www.wpi.edu/~newspeak/) and this is read by people all over the world, honest! Second, we distribute a large number of papers to our subscribers. And for those of you at the bottom of the hill, who don't come up to Daniels Hall very often, we put papers in Founders Hall and Salisbury Labs every Tuesday morning. Again, what good is a newspaper that no one has access to?
Our photographers add an artistic viewpoint to what would otherwise be dull, black and white pages (like that sociology text). We own photography equipment and have a dark room, and expect to take the photography department towards the digital age this fall. This should be exciting and you could learn along with us.
Layout is done with Aldus Pagemaker 5.0 on Sundays and experience is not needed to participate. We are willing to train you, give you pizza etc. if you are interested in stopping by. Our current layout staff started with literally no experience, and this paper speaks for what they have been able to accomplish.
We also need someone to help us out by typing and formatting articles submitted for the paper. This is a paying job, and federal work-study eligibility is not required. We will pay you for this job (the only paying position Newspeak offers). The catch, if it can be called one, is that because we like (have?) to edit on Saturday mornings, most of the typing is done on Friday nights, as those last few articles come in for the deadline.
So now you just have to at least drop by and learn more about our organization. Come down to our office in the basement of Riley Hall, on the side near Daniels Hall, on Thursday the 24th at 7:00pm. We'll order some of those fabulous pizzas from Gompei's and we can all start to get organized for the new year, which looks to be a busy one. If you can't make it, e-mail us (newspeak@wpi), call (831-5464), drop us a note (box 2700) or just look in the windows and if we're in, come down for a visit.