What if: A dream team for The Orion

The end of the semester is just ahead and a new editorial team is in place for the next. What typically happens at The Orion is most of the talent moves into new roles on the paper and some, usually the top echelon, move on to other pursuits.

Former EIC Kacey Gardner
went to work for Chico State's
public information office
after her term as editor.

Can you imagine what the paper might be like if those top players didn't leave?

Wouldn't it be awesome (and I mean that literally) if Editor-in-Chief Ben Mullin, Managing Editor Quinn Western, Photo Editor Dan Reidel, News Editor Nick Carr and former reporter Juniper Rose, for example, rejoined the staff as writers this spring?

Can you imagine the section fronts if they were all installed as section senior writers who worked on projects, maybe one every two weeks?

How many awards would the paper win if that dream team all worked in news, writing long-form journalism and mentoring an equal number of new reporters?

This isn't just selfishness talking (selfish because I'd open up my browser to theorion.com each day expecting to read something great). Think of the clips they could generate! What a portfolio they could build!

This idea is part of a larger conversation Ben and I have been having about ditching the every-semester staff shuffle in favor annual appointments for the top editors. Most college papers turn over their editorial group just once a year. That system can provide more continuity from semester to semester and helps stop the exit of top talent in the middle of the year.

In the meantime, I can dream about a dream team for The Orion.