New editors aim for more accessible paper

For the first time since 2001, The Daily Pennsylvanian will be led by a staffer from the business side of the newspaper.

Incoming Executive Editor Shawn Safvi and the 123rd Board of Editors and Managers will officially take control of the newspaper's operations on Saturday, when they will be installed at the DP's annual banquet.

For the past year the 122nd Board has had the opportunity to cover a racehorse America fell in love with, a controversial Halloween photo and a string of serious criminal charges against Penn professors that doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Now, those editors and managers will give up the late nights and countless food runs, although many will continue to contribute to the newspaper.

The banquet honors both the incoming and outgoing boards and will be held at the Inn at Penn. University President Amy Gutmann, Safvi and former City Editor John Daniszewski - who was named international editor of The Associated Press last March - will address the crowd of 250 at the banquet.

Safvi's first actions as executive editor will be to increase the transparency of the newspaper's operations and try to open lines of communication with the Penn community.

"My goal this year is for the DP to be more accessible to every student," Safvi, a Wharton junior, said. "I am genuinely interested in hearing what students have to say. I want their feedback and input."

The Chapel Hill, N.C., native will also address the technological revolution which the entire journalism industry is currently sorting through.

"Our efforts aren't limited just to our print edition," Safvi said. "We want to make it clear that our Web site has features like blogs and breaking-news coverage that distinguish it as its own distinct news source."

The operations of the company's daily product, The Daily Pennsylvanian, will be assumed by incoming Managing Editor Wil Hershner, a College junior from Ocean City, N.J. Hershner is a former design editor.

Safvi will hand the management of the newspaper's business affairs to College junior Maki Puri, the former credit manager.

34th Street Magazine will be run by a familiar face, as former Street Design Editor Jasmine Fournier takes the reins of the Thursday arts and entertainment publication. She will be joined by Vince Levy and Lizzie Frasco.

Other editors serving on the 123rd board include: Zoe Tillman, Jeremy Baron, Tali Yahalom, Jared Miller, Anne Dobson, Alyssa Schwenk, Mara Wishingrad, Andrew Scurria, Sebastien Angel, Krista Hutz, Hannah Lau, Neil Fanaroff, Chris Poliquin, Toby Hicks, Yan Yanovskiy and Erika Palmer.

The business staff will be led by managers Josh Kay, Alex Raksin, Yijia Gu, Jeremy Friedmar and Rebecca Fletcher.

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