by Rebekah Bresee
Editor-in-chief

The Whitworthian Editor-in-Chief (EIC) position is different from other ASWU positions. While the goal of the job is to take part in expressing the voices of the university—an underlying goal of all ASWU positions—the decisions made by the EIC often require putting their personal interests and associations aside. is becomes difficult when serving in a group of people who are supposed to be your team.

Every person who sits at the table on Wednesday nights deserves to be there. They truly care about this university and the people within it. I have enjoyed serving on such a team, which is why my position on ASWU creates a conflict of interest with my Whitworthian job.

If something goes awry within ASWU, it is my job to make sure those mistakes are covered in the Whitworthian. Furthermore, there is information shared at ASWU meetings and in the GE 330 class—a leadership class required for all ASWU members— that is not necessarily meant for publication, but definitely affects my thoughts and views on certain topics my staff covers.

I believe it is wise for the EIC to attend ASWU meetings to hear what is going on in ASWU and pick up story ideas. I believe it is beneficial for the EIC to take a leadership class in order to learn effective ways to manage a team of people. But being trained for an ASWU position under the idea that we are a team and we work to build each other up is not always realistic for the EIC.

While I have enjoyed serving on ASWU, I do think it is not a place for my position. Future EICs should take the responsibility of attending ASWU meetings to gather information and perhaps should be required to give a semester update. However, being a part of the ASWU team ultimately puts the EIC in a tough position in regards to the topics the Whitworthian covers.

Contact Bresee at [email protected]