Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Tribune Could Better Serve Readership

While I generally agreed with Red State University’s Mike Sever’s Viewpoint article in yesterday’s edition of The Marquette Tribune, there were some matters which I had to contend with. Personally I have not had a problem with having my editorials being published in the Tribune. To be honest this is one of the few areas that I have praised them on. I am sure this is not the case with everyone, as Sever points out, but from my perspective this has not been issue. However, what has been an issue, which Sever, whether due to space restriction or whatever, does not bring up in his article is how the word limit for these editorials has increased from 700 words last year to 550 words this year. This is where his point about the staff editorials plays in. If a majority, if not all, of the editorial board of the Tribune have their own columns, what need is there to publish staff editorials? This seems like a dire waste of space which could be better utilized toward student opinions and comments. And while on that subject, I agree co-heartedly with Sever that the student body of Marquette University needs to step it up a notch when it comes to ‘insightful’ student commentary. These discussions of Rec Center etiquette are pointless and downright embarrassing for those of us who actually put time and effort into expressing a message in their articles in the hope of touching base with a percentage of the student body on campus. If you want to rant on how ‘Deathcab for Cutie’ is selling out then save it for the Rec Center. Oh, wait … oh, never mind.