Participation, please

Every spring there are many students who depart on cross-cultural, leaving a large gap in the EMU community. To those who remain, we need your involvement.

This semester, like many before it, the Weather Vane is understaffed. The simple fact is that operating without page editors or business and advertising managers creates more work for those on staff. Help is always appreciated and contributions of any kind are always accepted but often our staff receives neither.

Difficulties often arise when trying to get fellow students to contribute stories on occasion. For those that have and continue to assist, we at the 'Vane are ever thankful and for those who continually refuse assistance, there are no hard feelings. Motivation for writing an article seems to lie in the following categories: helping out a friend on staff, interest in particular subjects, or to practice journalism. For current staff members, the incentive to become a part of the student paper is based on a desire to do so and not because of available financial or official academic gain. For example, this semester's opinion editor is receiving neither credit or work study.

In a perfect system, students would be willing to contribute based on this desire but the world is not perfect. There are incentives available for students willing to become a part of the 'Vane staff which include writing for credit or, assuming eligibility, as a work-study job. Of course there are limitations--for example, students can only work one work-study job at a time and the credits tend to directly benefit only Communication majors.

Finding a contributing writer can be the hardest task because there are no incentives for writing an article. A common reaction to the question "Would you be willing to write an article for me?" is typically answered by either "Do I get paid or credit?" or varying degrees of "No!" The reactions are understandable; our society is a society that wants to know how things benefit us, but that is definitely not the only reason for a lack of writers. Writing is a personal expression of self that is hard to share with others, especially in a published manner.

Whatever the hesitation or refusal to contribute to the school paper, the fact remains that 'Vane is understaffed but hope is not lost. This semester alone there are three new page editors, and brand new faces in the writing and copy-editing departments. A more impressive statistic is that three editors are returning editors and other students previously affiliated with the paper are back again. Without new or returning staff members, and faculty advisor Dick Benner, the 'Vane would not be a possibility.

As a final request, if any student has had either past problems or positive experiences with EMU's humble paper, put your talents to good use. Even if the paper has angered or offended you, write an opinion article and relay your sentiments to fellow students; criticism is always welcome. There is nothing worse than apathy. If something comes across as erroneous or offensive it is better to act to correct it than to write it off and leave it to its own devices. All that can be asked for is participation.