Chris George: Addressing the concerns of the University community

how was the coI feel like I owe you, the Penn community, an explanation. Some of you will think such an explanation is unnecessary, but I think some have been wondering what took so long.

On Monday, Feb. 2, The Daily Pennsylvanian published a photograph of Penn Police arresting a black male. Even without considering any other information, it was clear to me that this photo could project an unintended message - that it might be portraying all black males in a negative way. It could even appear to some readers that the DP published such a photograph as a means of intentionally reinforcing a negative stereotype (of course, this is absolutely not the case, but it is possible that someone would think it is).

This was my first test as the DP's executive editor, the person responsible for representing the Penn community within the walls of the DP office. Prior to publication, I read the article carefully and examined the photograph that my fellow editors had chosen to publish, and I ultimately decided to trust their judgment.

It was a straightforward article accompanied by a photograph showing the arrest of a suspect in connection with the attempted mugging of a Penn student. I understood and valued its newsworthiness, but I could understand why some people would be concerned.

When the paper came out the next day, a few people came to me and told me they were unhappy with that decision. That did not really surprise me. What did surprise me, however, was who they were.

They were all staff members of the DP. I received not a single complaint from anyone outside the DP, but there was clearly dissent within the organization. Some found it racially insensitive, while others found it questionable to run a photo of someone before being charged, which is another issue in and of itself. But just as many editors felt it was straightforward, accurate news that belongs in the newspaper. Only one clear conclusion came out of our discussion: We all disagreed, and for many different reasons.

When you get right down to it, someone needed to make the decision of whether or not to run the photo. This year, I am the one who is to be held accountable, and I promise to take everyone's opinions into account when making decisions.

In this case, that is exactly what I did, and I honestly don't know whether or not I made the right choice. Hopefully, some of the plans I have in mind will help me sort out the "right" choice, if such a thing exists. Before I outline those plans, though, let me address a couple of concerns about my responsibilities as executive editor.

I have heard the comment that as the one held responsible, the DP's executive editor must then have an interest in dodging the concerns and complaints of the community. In fact, this could not be farther from the truth; it is in my own best interest to be in tune with the community. If anything, I have more incentive than anyone else to understand the community's concerns and to make sure they are heard within the DP office, because if they are not taken into consideration, I will have to deal with the repercussions -- not to mention the fact that we might alienate our own readers.

For anyone who knows anything about DP editors, the next logical question is, how can I take the community's concerns into consideration if I am always in the office? It is true: Spending time in the office does not expose me to many opinions other than those of DP staffers. I cannot rely on readers to file all their complaints with me (although I would certainly like them to), especially considering the possibility that some of the Penn students who are most displeased with the DP have given up on it and just don't read it anymore.

I feel I must finally accept that despite the meetings and discussions I've had so far, I have still not adequately addressed these concerns in my first month as executive editor.

This is a very hard thing to concede, especially considering that I had long been planning to tackle these issues right from the start of my tenure. When I look back at one of the last columns by my predecessor, I see just how right she was when she wrote, "All of a sudden, you're thinking about one thing and one thing alone -- getting the paper out by a fast-approaching deadline (without any misspelled names, blank spaces or boring headlines)." That is exactly what has consumed my time so far this semester.

But that is no excuse.

Fortunately, I have a plan. By removing myself from most of the day-to-day operations of the newspaper, I can now make the concerns of the minority communities my first priority. With this established, I have the following plans for this semester:

First, the DP executive board has decided to conduct focus groups and a survey, which we hope will provide us with a more complete understanding of the views and concerns of the entire Penn community.

Then, after reviewing the results of the focus groups and survey, I hope to bring in a qualified, impartial individual who is knowledgeable in the field of journalism and race relations. This person would engage the DP staff in a constructive discussion of the community's concerns and how we can publish a newspaper that takes them all into consideration.

Most importantly, I will be a more informed and representative voice of the Penn community within the walls of the DP office. I plan to spend less time in the office and more time out on campus, where I will be hearing firsthand what people think of the DP. To accomplish this, I will hold an open forum every few weeks to address anything and everything that readers would like to discuss. I plan to hold the first of these chats on the evening of Tuesday, March 2. (An exact time and place will be advertised next week.)

Finally, in this column, which will appear sporadically on Thursdays this semester, I will address some concerns and explain the rationale behind some of the decisions that have been made back here at the DP office.

Through it all, I hope to hear from more of you, our readers, whatever your opinions. Only then can we continue to improve as a newspaper and an institution.

Chris George is a junior marketing and communications concentrator in Wharton from Whitehouse Station, N.J., and executive editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.