News Editor – The griff, Grant MacEwan University’s Student Newspaper
Term:
Salary:
Hours:
Reports to:
May 1 - April 30
$270 per week
Approximately 20 hrs/ wk
Managing Editor – The griff
Job Summary:
The news editor shall be responsible for leading the operations of the news section, including
supervising volunteers and ensuring they have the resources and abilities to produce good
news copy. The news editor shall assist the managing editor with planning, administration and
human resources management should circumstances warrant. The news editor shall also be
responsible for teaching interested persons about the operations of the griff.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1) Ensure that matters of interest for the news section are covered, including student politics,
happenings on campus and news in the community relevant to students.
2) Write copy for the news section, in conjunction with volunteer writers.
3) Write a minimum of two stories per week, with priority to the news section.
4) Lay out the news section in each issue.
5) Ensure that news events of relevance to the student body are covered in a timely and
conscientious manner.
6) Coordinate at least one news-specific training workshop each semester, two if possible.
7) Recruit and train volunteers to write news.
8) Participate in weekly story meetings to hand out assignments, develop ideas and give tips to
volunteers.
9) Ensure that the news section is organized and has sufficient quality content for every issue.
10) Ensure appropriate photos and/or graphics are available for the news section, in
consultation with the graphics editor and managing editor.
11) Ensure, in conjunction with the managing editor, that the tasks of any absent editor are
completed.
12) In conjunction with the opinions editor, endeavour to generate and/or solicit from volunteers
story ideas that may be worthy of in-depth coverage in the features section.
13) Arrange and distribute media passes where applicable.
14) Perform other job-related duties as required by the managing editor.
Qualifications:
1) Must be registered in the equivalent of at least one (1) course for credit at Grant MacEwan
University during each term of the fall and winter sessions of their term in this position.
2) Must be available to work varying hours.
3) Must have basic computer skills.
4) Must have experience with news writing and gathering, as well as interviewing.
5) Must have a basic understanding of Alberta libel laws.
6) Must be able to deal effectively with Students’ Association and university staff, students and
the general public.