So at the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I can’t help but take the opportunity to recognize the ‘Prince’ staff and, especially, the 26 editors of this managing board for their dedication over the past year. While I have the opportunity to point them out, I hope that you, too, will take a moment to notice the work of your fellow classmates.
It’s true that my job involves a lot of talking with readers. Occasionally I hear from you when you’re pleased with our coverage. Much more frequently, you call and write to express your displeasure because, yes, admittedly, we make mistakes. As an educational institution, we’re always learning and — frankly — we wouldn’t know what to fix if it weren’t for those of you who take the time to tell us what you don’t like. On a personal level, I know that I sincerely appreciate much of your feedback and, in fact, actively solicit it.
Too often, though, I know that many of you don’t tell us what you think. (No, anonymous comments and Princeton FML posts don’t count.) This is a shame because Princeton students love to complain, myself included. Instead, we hear complaints on the fly when we sit next to you at the dining hall, in our eating clubs, or, speaking from personal experience, on one uncomfortably long bus ride to Washington, D.C.
Rather than just complaining to your friends about the ‘Prince,’ next time, tell us — anyone on the masthead — what you think. And, please, be constructive. We take our position as the University’s newspaper of record very seriously, and part of our role is ensuring that we are responsive to your concerns. We know there is always room for improvement, so we’re ready to act if you have some good ideas.
If you feel strongly about the work we do, consider joining the ‘Prince.’ If you know how we can do better, come show us. It’s a point of pride for me that we are an open organization. The many, many ads you see in the paper encouraging you to join the ‘Prince’ aren’t there just to fill space.
Even though I won’t be here next semester, I can tell you that each added perspective will help the organization continue to evolve, as it has for the last 134 years.
I know I speak on behalf of my entire managing board when I wish our successors the best of luck. We have every confidence that they’ll push the ‘Prince’ forward over the next year. And your feedback will be invaluable to them along the way.
Jack Ackerman is a politics major from Mendham, N.J. He is the outgoing editor-in-chief of The Daily Princetonian and can be reached at jackerma@princeton.edu.
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