NOTE: Editorial positions are paid and required students to take at least 6 credits and have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA. All editors are required to produce content, either for print or the web, in addition to their respective editorial position.
Editor Positions
- Editor-in-chief: Responsible for administrative decisions and selecting what is published in print and on the web. He or she is required to do the same work as the rest of the staff and produce content for publication. He or she is also responsible for setting deadlines, establishing a workflow for all editors and staff, and networking with clubs and organizations. Additionally, he or she is responsible of promoting the Observer, lead the recruitment efforts and handle all email communications through the observer’s email account.
- Managing Editor: Responsible for keeping track of the articles and any other content assigned and respective deadlines dates. They are in charge of communicating with all members of staff regarding their assignments and state of completion. Additionally, they are responsible for collecting all submissions and sending them to the copy editor. Must have excellent communication and managing skills.
- Copy Editor: Responsible for editing, fact-checking, and proofreading any content for publication. They are in charge of writing/selecting headlines and photo captions. They will also be responsible for providing weekly feedback to all writers as well as reporting to the editor-in-chief. Must be knowledgeable of AP style.
- Media/Online Editor: Responsible of managing and overseeing the website. They will be in charge of uploading and keeping track of all content published on the web. They will come up with ideas for growing the website and are in charge of producing weekly multimedia content. Must have knowledge of WordPress and Premiere. Responsible for managing and overseeing the observer’s social media accounts. He or she will maintain a consistent online presence across all platforms to include news, college events and recruitment efforts. Must have good marketing and writing skills.
- News Editor: Responsible of knowing what is going on college wide. They will work closely with bureau chiefs and select the events to be covered by the paper. Ultimately responsible for the news section is filled for every issue.
- Sports Editor: Responsible for building a good relationship with the athletics department, coaches and athletes college wide. They are responsible for pitching article ideas for the sports section and making sure that the section is filled for every issue.
- Photography Editor: Responsible for providing artwork for all articles. He or she will make sure that articles have accompanying photography, including illustrations or cartoons. He or she will oversee and train the rest of the staff on photography techniques. Must be familiar with photojournalism guidelines, Photoshop and Lightroom.
- Layout Editor: The main focus for this role will be ensuring articles and graphics are laid out appropriately before the paper goes out to print. They must be comfortable using various Adobe softwares.
- Bureau Chiefs: Their main responsibility is distribution of the paper on their respective campus. They are in charge of obtaining event calendars and networking with students and faculty at their campus for article ideas and recruitment efforts.
Staff Positions
Staff positions are not paid. Staff will have the opportunity to train and gain priceless hands-on experience, as well as the ability to build up their professional portfolio, while having priority when editorial positions open. All staff members are encouraged to participate in as many other areas outside of their specific position as they can.
- Contributing Writers: Will invest majority of their effort in writing for print and web.
- Photographers: Will devote most of their time to taking photographs of events on campus. Must report to Photography editor.
- Videographers: Will devote most of their time in filming interviews and events on campus. Must be able to edit in Premiere Pro, After Effects, and have basic knowledge of sound recording and editing. Must report to Online editor.
- Graphic Designers: Will invest time on creating graphics for social media and infographics for print publication as accompanying art for articles. Must report to Social Media editor.
- Illustrators: Creators of illustrations and cartoons, either stand alone or companions of articles. Must report to Photography editor.
- Multimedia producers: Will invest their time in producing video and radio content for the website and social media accounts. They will assist staff and editors on the different multimedia projects.
To apply, please download this Observer application and follow the instructions.