When politics matters...

http://www.da.wvu.edu/new/show_article.php?&story_id=27518&archive_date=04-13-2007

After following WVU presidential search for nearly two months as a staff writer for The Daily Athenaeum, a sense of big disappointment filled me at the press conference today as Mike Garrison was announced the 22nd president of West Virginia University.

As an exchange student, the decision has no effect on me whatsoever. As a reporter, though, I care. Dr. Nellis (Garrison is probably the only college president without a Ph.D.) was a fine, fine, exceptional scholar, who took the time to meet us in the newsroom.

I wonder how he felt at this point. From the beginning, the entire process was already planned. Garrison stepped down from his post as chairman of the Higher Education Policy Commission even before his name was released as one of the three finalists. He was contacted by the search consultant. His family connection with Goodwin undoubtedly has given him strong favorable.

Gwen Berger, associate professor of English, said during Wednesday emergency meeting that WVU would look "insular and provincial" if Garrison is chosen. With a leader who has no international experiences teaching or studying abroad (except he left Oxford early), indeed, WVU will become a provincial university. It's hard to see the new president maybe establishing an international campus for WVU.

This state is already poor and isolated. The University is the only reason why many of us, foreigners, come here, to Morgantown.

I'm leaving this town on May 10. But good luck to all the students who will be here next year, who will be lead by a very non-qualified president.

Pictures

First picture: The Reynolds Institution of Art in Washington, D.C. This was at the Wednesday's reception when I had to interview the USA today editor and I was very nervous. The story turned out well. Read it at www.asne.org
Second picture: The Friday before leaving. With two fellow ASNE reporters, Vannah Shaw from University of Missouri and Marvin Anderson, from Hampton University
Third picture: Looking professional in the ASNE newsroom
Forth picture: My desk at The Daily Athenaeum

Lessons learned from the Wasington, D.C. conference

I'm back in Morgantown after one intensive week of the American Society of Newspaper Editors conference. Tired, exhausted, but I have a greater sense for my career, what it means to report, write stories, and what it means to have positive thoughts.

First of all, the students who are in this conference are smart, creative, active and so positive. They are not afraid to talk to strangers; they don't complain when their sources don't call them back; they don't feel nervous talking to high-profile people. One student particularly stood out for me was Tiffany Hsu, not just because of the fact that her resume is amazing, but of the way she acts, behaves, talks and thinks: very very positive.

I learn that editors, or high-profile people, they are not interested in knowing your excuse or while you are late, or nervous, or not supposed to do what you have to do. You just go ahead and start the action rather than babbling over the phone and complain.

I learn to think much better about myself. And that everyone can contribue something, everyone could bring something to the table.

I learn that it's important to dress, act and talk professional.

I learn that every word and quote in the story has to be there for a reason. And that we can't write a perfect story but we can make a story as perfect as possible.

I learn that journalism is a very small business and a very rewarding one. Kenneth Paulson, editor of USA Today and usatoday.com, said he got into journalism because he thought there was something very heroic about what journalists do.

I love how Susan Goldberg, executive editor of The San Jose Mercury News, said about her being an editor can influence other people's works.

Favorite moments: talk to the editor of The Sun-Herald, the vice president of Gannett, and just really being in the same room with the best people in journalism.

It was also the first time I saw Anna Hull, the Washington Post reporter who broke the Walter Reed story, and Bob Woodruff, the ABC journalists who was wounded in Iraq.

I love the free food, hotel, the bar in D.C., walking near the White House during a breezy night, and just be surrounded by people who love this as much as I do...

There were some down moments, but that saves for a later post...

Huong