Graphic Fire Special Issue

While the wild fires were burning a group of editors from the Graphic produced this special section. To read more coverage and to see the photos in color check out on the Online Graphic.

Editor & Publisher does story on Online Graphic

Pepperdine Student Paper's Web Site Shut Down Due to Wildfire -- Now It's Back By Joe Strupp Published: October 23, 2007 4:05 PM ET NEW YORK When the wildfires raging throughout Southern California neared Pepperdine University in Malibu on Sunday, campus officials shut down servers used by all campus Web sites. Unfortunately, that included the Web site of Graphic, the student newspaper, creating a four-hour disruption when the paper was in the midst of covering the raging fire's impact on students, many of whom were being evacuated and seeking information about university events. "They just decided to do it, but they didn’t take into account that it would affect the newspaper Web site," said Editor-In-Chief Shannon Kelly. "They said they didn't do it on purpose."

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'Canyon Fire' Brushes Pepperdine Photos

New Malibu 'Canyon Fire' Photos

New Malibu photos from 'Canyon Fire'

Students return to dorms, Monday classes cancelled

BY SHANNON KELLY
Editor In Chief

The Malibu fire is still zero percent contained and has burned more than 2000 acres, but students and staff have been told to return to their on-campus residences by Pepperdine’s emergency response team, according to the Emergency Operations Committee’s (EOC) associate vice president Rick Gibson.

Three homes and two commercial buildings have been confirmed destroyed and at least nine other residences have been damaged.

The structural loses include Malibu Presbyterian Church and Pepperdine faculty member, Connie James' house, which is close to the church. Flames also destroyed Malibu's famous Passion castle.

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Pepperdine Graphic retrospective

BY SHANNON KELLY
Editor in Chief

The Graphic has finished six issues and is taking a two-week hiatus so the staff can catch its breath (and catch up in class). These first few days off have given us all a rare opportunity for reflection since we're usually refocusing our attention immediately on the next issue. I’m still in awe of the fact that we’ve already finished six issues and only have four more, but I’m very proud of the staff and the quality they’re producing.

The last issue stood out in terms of our feature stories.

We had a fairly slow news week, which gave the news editor, Jane Lee, a chance to write an amazing piece about a group of alumni that spent the summer in Tanzania. These ’07 grads are developing a text message system to help bring information about AIDS to sufferers who might not otherwise be able to learn about the disease. Sam Blons, Jane’s assistant news editor, wrote an article assessing the race, ethnicity and gender numbers at Seaver, over the past ten years or so, in order to point out trends in student diversity. The story was well thought out and well written, although any diversity piece can always go deeper; what do students think? Professors? Why are the numbers changing? Etc, etc. Still, she did the best she could with the sources she was able to reach and the time she had to complete the piece.

TANZANIA PHOTO

Our Sports section featured a piece from its “All in the Family” series called “Golfers shoot fore success.” This was a really neat article about siblings on the men’s and women’s golf teams and how they’ve grown together as athletes and students.

The A&E and living sections also printed some wonderful features. There was a touching piece about Chris Sangster, Pepperdine assistant dean for advancement and alumni relations, who is suffering from cancer. The article was heartfelt, informative and a pleasure to read. I hope it draws support for Sangster amd the concert that will benefit him.

A&E’s preview of Pepperdine Theatre Department’s production of “The Empire Builders,” is a good feature and look into the fall play. The writer talks to the director and casts, which gives readers a good taste of what’s to come.

STUDENT PRODUCTION

While we always try to publish at least a of couple strong features, which go a little more in-depth than our typical stories, I definitely think last week’s issue treats us with a few more than usual. Enjoy!

Pay Tribute Where It's Due

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

Last night, as the Living and A&E sections were nearing their deadline, the staff members lingering in the newsroom began reflecting. The last minutes of Sept. 11 were ticking closer to Sept. 12, but before the seconds passed, we took a moment to remember.

“Where were you that morning?” one editor asked.

“I was getting ready for school and I heard the T.V,” answered her assistant.

“I still remember every single thing about where I was,” our advisor added.

I was driving to school when I heard a confused radio host interrupt a broadcast to say, “A plane just crashed in to the World Trade Center. I remember thinking, “that’s a pretty distasteful attempt at a joke.”

But his report was no joke. It was a tragic reality.

Our newsroom commemoration was brief, but respectful and real.

Today I read a letter to the editor in USA Today. “Coverage of 9/11 anniversary needless,” it read. “The media have an obsession with 9/11… we don’t need to be reminded of it with mindless documentaries or special news reports.”

I couldn’t disagree more.

Memorializing the 2001 assault on our country is not about remembering the vicious, inhuman people who flew planes into our buildings. It’s about paying tribute to the Americans who perished with the towers and to those who risked their lives to save others.

Every year, the anniversary should be observed as another day to honor our country and its people.

The Graphic not only commemorated the day privately Tuesday night, but it will publicly pay tribute on Thursday (probably on the front page).

It’s respectful, it’s right; it’s what we owe our country, our community, our classmates and one of our own — Pepperdine alumnus and Flight 93 passenger, Thomas Burnett.

Lunch at Marmalade: PROOF

Shannon Kelly, Graphic Editor in Chief, and I took Alan Beard to lunch today since he was the first person to post a comment on my blog. We had a great working lunch and talking about things the Graphic and our blogs do well and things that we need to improve on. Here's a picture of us inside my favorite Malibu restaurant.




On a side note my favorite waiter Brent was working today. I have not seen him around in awhile so that was as noteworthy for me at least.

News Pulls An All-Nighter

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

I’ve got to do better with this blogging situation!

No excuses, but the blog snuck its way to the bottom of my priorities list this week. With last-minute news stories, a couple of staff problems and a generally hectic week, I realized that I’m going to have to do this thing a little differently.

So I’m going to limit each entry to about 200 words and post more often (at least that’s the plan … and it’s starting after this one).

I should have been on the blog at 6 a.m. Thursday morning to post a simple: “The sun is rising and the paper still hasn’t been put to bed!” But, I’m a horrible blogger so I did no such thing.

Here is what I would have said had I been on my best blog behavior:

Thursday 6:15 — While most people are minutes away from waking up for their 8 a.m. classes, the news editors are finishing their pages and I’m sending the other sections' pages to the printers. Jane (news editor) is putting headlines on the front page, while Sam (assistant news editor) makes some last-minute edits to another page. Both girls have been in here since around 10 a.m. (Jane hasn’t even been outside today…or I guess that was yesterday).

Usually, deadline nights end at a semi-acceptable hour (2 a.m. or 3 at the latest). But sometimes no matter how hard we’re working, there are hold-ups and it’s hard to put a finger on what they are. This week, the news editors, their assistant and I wrote most of the news. That puts a strain on production since we aren’t able to design pages and edit articles while we’re reporting and writing ourselves. But it’s week two. We’re still training new writers and recruiting, so I think we did the best with what we have.

Finally the front page was sent (6:30) and Sam, Jane and I deliriously slumped out of the newsroom doors to my car. We were laughing when Sam opened the door on to the sidewalk and we were stuck there for a few minutes. Then, Jane sat on my emergency brake, causing minor problems (she and Sam were sharing the front seat because Sam was too tired to climb in the back). I dropped them off at their on-campus apartments after our clown-car ride.

Neither of them was off to bed — both had studying to do before their 10 a.m. classes.

They didn’t sleep, but they got the paper out.

They’ll sleep this weekend.

Here Goes a New Year

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

We’re trying something new at the Graphic. Actually we’re trying a lot of new things, but blogging is one that we hope will open the newsroom doors a little wider to students, faculty and staff. Bear with me while I adjust to this new forum and begin updating and changing this blog (I’m thinking “Editor In Chief Blog” is a pretty boring title and a lack of links and photos makes this unbearably dry). But for now — a quick briefing.

The Graphic staff started last Sunday and worked non-stop, with only half of our staff and few sources on campus, to get the paper out on the first day of school.

While production was in full swing, we were also holding meetings with SGA, SPB and President Andrew K. Benton (and many administrators). At the same time, we were conducting training sessions for our freshmen and new staff members (look for their bylines in this first issue!)

We were busy, but it was worth it (although I think my staff averaged six hours of sleep for the entire week). It’s going to be a great semester for the Graphic and we’re doing everything we can to make this newspaper an outlet for everyone on campus.
On that note, our meetings with SGA and administrators were extremely encouraging (and I’ll update this site with more detailed blogs concerning both discussions).

President Benton offered his continued support, with many chief administrators by his side, and vowed to be as available as possible to the Graphic. His administrators agreed to do the same and each spoke to our editorial board (all of our sections editors and their assistants) in order to let us know what we can do better and what they can do better for us.

I’m looking forward to future meetings and a continued discussion with the administration about how we can work together to serve Pepperdine to the best of our abilities. I’m encouraged and grateful by President Benton’s support and by his administration’s input as well.

SGA and SPB were wonderful when we met with them last week. We gathered in the newsroom for lunch and sat down for an informal discussion about how the Graphic can work together with student leaders to keep everyone on campus informed and involved. I think we’ll have a strong working relationship this semester, which I think will benefit the newspaper, their groups and the entire Pepperdine community.

Please feel free to use this blog to tell us what you want to see in the paper, what you don’t want to see in the paper and what we can do better.

If you don’t want to comment on the blog, call me and we’ll talk. My cell phone number is (310) 283-6434 and my office extension is x4314. Or just drop by. The newsroom is open and so is my office door (we’re in the CCB next to Public Safety).
Good luck to you all on your first day of school and have a wonderful year!

All my best,
Shannon Kelly
Editor in Chief