Best Newspaper
Private Colleges & Universities

Winner: The Avion, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.
Runner-Up: The Reporter, Stetson University
Honorable Mention: The Gargoyle, Flagler College

Winner
The Avion—Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.
We give up! After three years reigning at the top of Florida Leader’s “Best Of Florida Schools” in the private schools category of the Newspaper competition, it’s becoming far too difficult to come up with catchy introductions for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Avion. “The Avion soars into first place,” “The Avion flies high,” “The Avion shoots down its competition.” Honestly, how many flying-themed images do we need to come up with? Since it doesn’t look like ERAU’s student newspaper is going to relinquish the top spot anytime soon, here we go again.

The Avion jets into 2003 with its sights targeted on yet another dominating publication year (sigh). Perhaps the most important element of the paper’s success is its consistency without complacency. Where the average student newspaper either undergoes massive upheaval and revision on an annual basis or sits on its laurels for decades, The Avion continues to build on its winning formula. Easily the most unique and student-centered aspect of the paper is Aeronautica—a section devoted to news from the aerospace industry. With news and features covering everything from developments in air travel to the construction of the International Space Station, Aeronautica has connected with ERAU students since its introduction years ago. However, in 2003 The Avion staff introduced Data Technology, a subsection of Aeronautica that deals with emerging computer technologies. “About 65 percent of our students are involved in aeronautics, so the information that appears on those pages is designed with the student population in mind,” says Tom Vickers, advisor. “It deals with aeronautics, space, due events, and we gear it toward things at the campus.”

Another area of vast improvement for The Avion this year was its copyediting and lead writing. In years past, it was common to find numerous grammar and AP style mistakes infiltrating an otherwise solid page, which to a more discerning reader cast doubt on the paper’s professionalism. This year, however, the paper is much tighter, and mistakes and oversights are harder to find. Also, on average, the leads tend to both inform and grab the reader’s attention better this year than in the past. As Editor in Chief Lucas Crouch says, “The Avion’s editorial approach is to show the students, as well as the faculty, that we are a genuine newsgathering organization. We are not simply a “newsletter” or other outlet for the faculty to use.” With the improvement in copyediting and lead writing, The Avion’s editorial team has taken a step in the right direction.

Although student newspapers shouldn’t be a mouthpiece for Student Government, it’s so crucial that the two groups have a strong working relationship and yet so easy to burn bridges. Over the fall semester, The Avion made strides to improve a weak relationship with SGA. “There has always been a level of mistrust between the SGA administration and The Avion leadership,” Crouch says. “[This semester,] the day to day relations with SGA have been very positive.” Their combined efforts have yielded the creation of sections for SGA officers to voice their opinions and the expansion of advertising space for SGA programs like their on-line services. “If we had special needs that we think the students need to hear, the paper would give us the front page if we requested it,” says Brendan Baker, SGA office coordinator. “The reporters interact with the board members on a daily basis.”

One step backward in The Avion’s progression is the photo quality. Newspaper photography should do more than just accompany a story; it should grab the readers’ attention and tell a story of its own. Not only has the photo clarity declined, but more importantly, the composition is very weak. Many front-page photos look more like snapshots than quality photography.

Runner-up
The Reporter—Stetson University
As long as The Avion has been at the top, Stetson University’s The Reporter has been nipping at its heels, ready to take the lead if ERAU’s paper ever falters. However, The Reporter is far from a second-rate newspaper. With solid modular design and improved reporting, Florida’s first private college newspaper remains one of the best in the state.

Whether you’re an avid Reporter reader or not, a simple comparison between this year’s paper and last year’s shows a marked improvement in the reporting quality. The news articles don’t just state the facts--they attempt to connect with the student audience, and the editorials and opinion pieces excel at taking larger issues and showing how they affect the students’ lives. “One of The Reporter’s central goals this year has been revitalizing its role on campus and shaping itself into an integral part of student life,” says Bryan Funk, editor in chief. “The paper has forged a new focus on excellence in reporting, seeking to avoid the usual filler articles on everyday campus events to focus on deeper stories that have a greater effect on the school.”

Another achievement The Reporter can boast about is its successful blending of informative news and sports articles with humorous feature articles. A Stetson student reading the paper between classes is sure to find several articles in the Life and Et Cetera sections to pass the time enjoyably. Even the regular Opinions columns are guaranteed to get a laugh. “Humor really keeps the reader’s heartbeat up,” says Jason Stone, Life editor. “I think we have a really healthy mix that not only makes a story easy to read and informative but also enjoyable.”

The Reporter’s basic weakness is its lack of polish. Although they do a nice job of avoiding text-heavy pages, the images and drawings they use generally detract from the finished product because they look like they were created and placed five minutes before deadline. There should be a reason behind placing an image on the page other than to fill space. A little foresight and planning could really improve the paper’s layout.

Honorable Mention
The Gargoyle—Flagler College
Flagler College’s The Gargoyle is a prime example of a newspaper that does a lot with a little, literally. Even with the restrictive tabloid-size paper, The Gargoyle comes up big on design, packaging stories well in the tight space. The center spread especially is interesting with a collection of stories and photos all surrounding a central theme. According to Gargoyle Advisor Barbara Sachs Sloan, the features section has made the most significant improvements this year. “The editor has done a great job of keeping it lively and interesting, as well as sharp-looking,” she says.

With a solid news section in place that covers all the relevant campus events, it’s time for The Gargoyle staff to add some in-depth news/features to the issue. Usually taking the form of a lengthy profile or student-interest piece, the news/feature hybrid ideal for building and maintaining a paper’s readership. All it takes is a little preplanning to create exciting 800-word features that you can add photos and an interesting layout to that will grab your readers’ attention.