Finding Story Topics On Campus

The best thing about this college campus is that something is ALWAYS happening. It's your job as a reporter to track that event, speech or meeting down and write about it.

1. Finding events and meetings on campus:
The campus calendar is a good place to start. Here's the link: http://www3.sunysuffolk.edu/Calendar/calendar.asp
This is the place to locate events the campus is promoting. Many of these events are paid for from student fees, so it's not only your right to attend the events, but it's your obligation to cover them from a public affairs perspective.

2. Finding out what decisions are being made that impact students and the campus community.
Covering events and meetings is not that difficult. You just show up, take notes, interview a few participants and write your story. The trickier jobs that journalists face are those that require attendance at governance meetings. Student Government organizations, Faculty Senates, and Faculty Associations and Board of Trustees meetings should be covered by student reporters. The calendars of these various groups appear online at http://www.sunysuffolk.edu/ under a variety of different headings. The best way to find their meetings is to search for them at the campus web site by typing in the name of the organization. Once the schedule of meetings is located, make contact with someone in charge and seek permission to attend. (The meetings are open and public, so your attendance is absolutely acceptable. You're getting permission out of professionalism and courtesy, and to allow those hosting the meeting to prepare for your attendance by adding an extra chair).

Once you attend the meeting for the first time, you'll become aware that much of the jargon is not familiar to you. It's okay to ask lots of questions and familiarize yourself with the topics. One of the best ways to learn about these meetings and governing bodies is to read old minutes from previous meetings. These minutes are generally posted online and are easy for you to access.

Here are some guidelines to follow when covering governing bodies:
1. Plan long in advance the meetings you will attend and notify those in charge that you will be attending.
2. To prepare, attempt to get a copy of the group's agenda.
3. Read old minutes to gain familiarity with the issues the governing body is handling. Learn through the minutes who the "movers and shakers" are.
4. Don't be afraid to ask questions about things that are confusing or unclear.
5. Remember that your goal is to be a watchdog of the government for the people. Pay close attention to how this governing body is managing the people's money. Are the decisions they are making in the best interest of students? faculty? the campus community?
6. Be sure to record minutes to be used later while you're attending the meeting. If using a tape recorder, request permission to do so.
7. Attempt to write the story within a few hours of covering the meeting, so the information is fresh in your mind.
8. Make sound judgements about what is most important to the story. Find your focus and present the information that supports the focus. Remember that it will not be uncommon to have a multiple-incident lead since governing bodies tend to cover a number of items at each meeting.
9. Work with a Compass editor to polish your story and get it ready for publication.
10. Be sure to save your notes and your tapes from all meetings for at least three years in case anyone questions your work.