DC. "Lining" Up

[ponyte]

it's really time the bring the newspaper under the journalism dept...this freelance stuff has gotten out of control.

I mean, the only error free stuff that you can find in the DC is what they pull form the AP wire. Even then it's not the interesting stuff.

Based on the products I have seen/read from 'journalist' produced by big time journalism programs, I would rate this above average.

These are just kids learning. They will make mistakes. If we want 'quality' journalism, then subscribe to the DMN.

The DC is like a single A farm team. Kids learning the game and most will not make it to the majors. It is part of the grewing experience.

[RednBlue11]

like it or not it is a direct representation of SMU's ability to educate it's students and of the student body.

I am embarrassed to be represented by a paper that's editors do not have a basic understanding of the English language and do not posses common knowledge of the subjects they assign to their writers.

Is it really too much to ask for a small student newspaper to not have blatant errors in spelling and misconceptions, like being drafted into college?

and this certainly doesn't project well on the alumni either.

[ponyte]

like it or not it is a direct representation of SMU's ability to educate it's students and of the student body.

I am embarrassed to be represented by a paper that's editors do not have a basic understanding of the English language and do not posses common knowledge of the subjects they assign to their writers.

Is it really too much to ask for a small student newspaper to not have blatant errors in spelling and misconceptions, like being drafted into college?

and this certainly doesn't project well on the alumni either.

I must accept your opinion as I have never, not once, had a person question my undergraduate education or intelligence based on anything published by the Daily Campus. Apparently, others on this board have.

I don’t expect college kids to perform at a professional level regardless of whether it is a limited distribution daily school paper, our athletes, our dancers or our chemistry majors. I feel college is a time to make mistakes. As I have aged, I have realized that some of my expectations of college kids' performances were, at best, unrealistic. I was fortunate to have mentors and others support me as I made plenty of mistakes in college. Had those folks been a little less insightful, who knows how things would have turned out.

I understand the desire to project excellence at all levels. However, the Daily Campus is a voluntary extracurricular activity that isn’t a requirement for a degree. As long as it is something extracurricular, I am willing to cut the kids some slack.

Others I am sure have different opinions and expectations and there is nothing right or wrong about that. That is the beauty of this board. Just for me, I choice to be a bit more lenient on these kids as they develop. And the other thing is that upsetting these kids, that one day may be my doctor, lawyer or the person choosing my nursing home, tends to moderate my criticisms.

[Junior]

she's horrible.

[35straight]

"Rice fell to Baylor last weekend and is currently 3-1 on the season. The Mustangs are currently 2-2.

The Ponies will return home Oct. 9 to Gerald J. Ford Stadium to play Navy.

[Junior]

"Rice fell to Baylor last weekend and is currently 3-1 on the season. The Mustangs are currently 2-2.

The Ponies will return home Oct. 9 to Gerald J. Ford Stadium to play Navy.

you can't let the facts get in the way of a good outro.

[PonyKai]

I don’t expect college kids to perform at a professional level regardless of whether it is a limited distribution daily school paper, our athletes, our dancers or our chemistry majors. I feel college is a time to make mistakes. As I have aged, I have realized that some of my expectations of college kids' performances were, at best, unrealistic. I was fortunate to have mentors and others support me as I made plenty of mistakes in college. Had those folks been a little less insightful, who knows how things would have turned out.

Well I guess that removes any personal pride or standards our good, extracurricular activity writers have toward their own work. As someone who just, just graduated, you all have a right to expect more. Whether it's really a big deal or not is another issue, but this stuff is just dreck. This isn't kindergarten where every one gets a gold star. These kids are college students, voting, draft eligible adults, and those their age that didn't go to college are out in the work world, drawing pay, and these writers can't even reference a flipping schedule or read it properly? It's not like we're asking for an in-depth break down of the Run N Shoot or some deep, philosophical piece of June's attitudes toward life.

[Fresh]

it's really time the bring the newspaper under the journalism dept...this freelance stuff has gotten out of control.

I mean, the only error free stuff that you can find in the DC is what they pull form the AP wire. Even then it's not the interesting stuff.

If I were really jaded, I would point out the irony of you saying something about pulling error-free "form" the AP wire, but that would be disrespectful.

Instead, I'll point out that a few weeks ago, after the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener, the DC pulled an AP story about the game (to publish two days after the game ... which makes sense, since most NFL fans have no other media outlet through which they can find scores). The headline the DC put on that story?

"Cowboys drop heartbreaker to ... Oakland ... Red Raiders"

No, that's not made up.

[paperpony]

I used to live at the DC (practically...certainly pulled a couple of all-nighters there), and I'm a bit embarrassed by what it's become. We were never perfect, but there would be a couple of mistakes a week, not a couple of mistakes a paragraph.

[CalallenStang]

it's really time the bring the newspaper under the journalism dept...this freelance stuff has gotten out of control.

I mean, the only error free stuff that you can find in the DC is what they pull form the AP wire. Even then it's not the interesting stuff.

If I were really jaded, I would point out the irony of you saying something about pulling error-free "form" the AP wire, but that would be disrespectful.

Instead, I'll point out that a few weeks ago, after the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener, the DC pulled an AP story about the game (to publish two days after the game ... which makes sense, since most NFL fans have no other media outlet through which they can find scores). The headline the DC put on that story?

"Cowboys drop heartbreaker to ... Oakland ... Red Raiders"

No, that's not made up.

http://www.smudailycampus.com/polopoly_ ... 10_web.pdf Page 5
BTW, game was played on 9/12. Story was in 9/15 paper. If you're going to publish it, why not publish it in the issue that came out on 9/13?

[paperpony]

http://www.smudailycampus.com/polopoly_ ... 10_web.pdf Page 5
BTW, game was played on 9/12. Story was in 9/15 paper. If you're going to publish it, why not publish it in the issue that came out on 9/13?

They don't publish on Mondays.

[Stallion]

Is there a Sports Editor? Sounds like someone who actually knows Football should have caught the most obvious mistakes

[CalallenStang]

http://www.smudailycampus.com/polopoly_ ... 10_web.pdf Page 5
BTW, game was played on 9/12. Story was in 9/15 paper. If you're going to publish it, why not publish it in the issue that came out on 9/13?

They don't publish on Mondays.

They do this year. http://www.smudailycampus.com/pdf-archi ... ember-2010

[CalallenStang]

Is there a Sports Editor? Sounds like someone who actually knows Footbal should have caught the most obvious mistakes

The author of this story is the sports editor, according to the by-line.

[couch 'em]

Learning and not being familiar with sports is one thing, but basic proofreading of grammar, running spell-check, and basic fact checking should be MINIMUM skills to get into SMU. Unless this is from a secret new female 3-star wide receiver June has picked up, it shouldn't be acceptable in a freshman admission essay, much less a published work, student paper or not.