Board selects new IDS spring editor-in-chief

The IU Student Media Board announced Friday that senior Carrie Ritchie will be the spring 2008 editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student. \n“I think (Ritchie) is an excellent candidate,” Interim Director of IU Student Media Nancy Comiskey said. “It’s hard to imagine someone who will be better.”\nThe board chosen to select the new editor-in-chief consists of 11 individuals, including representatives from the IDS, Arbutus Yearbook and the IU Student Association, as well as the dean of the IU School of Journalism and professional journalists. \nRitchie, one of the current managing editors at the IDS, ran for the position unopposed.\nDuring the interview, Ritchie said she hopes to open up public office hours to encourage people from different areas of the campus to come in and discuss their concerns about the newspaper. She said she would also like to open up guest columnist positions at the IDS to help different student and faculty groups voice their opinions.\nRitchie said one of her main goals for the spring semester is to introduce a weekly wrap-up video with news anchors.\nIUSA Vice President Joe DeJean asked Ritchie how she wants to get the average reader involved with the IDS. Ritchie, who acknowledged that everyone does not read the paper, said she wants to reach out to students next semester and hopefully think of a few creative ideas that will entice more readers. \n“I’m hoping that my expansions in the multimedia area will help students feel more involved,” she said at the \nselection interview.\nDeJean said Ritchie has strong goals, and he said he thinks she’ll do a good job providing a voice the student body. \n“I think it’s really important that the editor-in-chief is actively involved in collecting the student voice,” DeJean said. “She’s a really strong candidate and I think she has good ideas.”\nRitchie said she would also like to expand the Web site and to continue putting out great editorial content. \nShe said she is proud of what the IDS has produced so far this semester and wants to continue to improve. \n“I think (the IDS has) a lot of potential, and I’m looking for ways to improve,” Ritchie said in an interview. “If anybody has any suggestions, come in and chat and don’t hesitate to contact me.”\nComiskey, who was also on the selection committee, said even though Ritchie will face some challenges as editor-in-chief, her past experience in the field has prepared her for the position. \n“I think she has some really good ideas about expanding the Web and I’m really excited about that,” Comiskey said. “I’m really looking forward to working \nwith her.”