(Reprinted from the Feb. 9, 1998, issue of The Cavalier Daily.)

After hours of animated discussion and debate on Saturday in Jefferson Hall, Cavalier Daily staff members elected third-year College student Jay Conti editor-in-chief to serve during the newspaper’s 109th year.

Conti, a government major from Woonsocket, R.I., has spearheaded the charge for numerous internal improvements at the paper, including a search for a paid ombudsman.

"One of the newspaper’s main efforts this year will be community outreach," he said. "As part of that effort, the paid ombudsman position will serve as vehicle through which readers can express their criticism and praise. The position should serve as proof the paper is committed to soliciting as much feedback as possible."

Other Managing Board members include third-year College student Noel Paul, a history major from Chicago, elected as executive editor. The staff chose Mandy Biles, a third-year government honors major from Alexandria, as managing editor. Third-year English major Mac McNeer, from Mountain Lakes, N.J., accepted the nomination as business manager, while Thomas Yergeau, a third-year chemistry major from Fairfield, Conn., became the paper’s operations manager.

Third-year College students Christopher Saunders and Catherine Shnaider were selected as assistant managing editors. Saunders is a history major from Stamford, Conn.; Shnaider is an English major from New Orleans, La.

During Junior Board elections, staffers picked third-year College students Sarah Dunn and Ann Marie Hohenberger, as well as first-year College student D.J. Moore, as copy editors.

News editor positions were bestowed upon third-year College student Patrick Walters and second-year College student Lauren Shepherd, while second-year College students Katie Lane and Phillip Preis assumed control of the focus and business pages, respectively.

Third-year College students Emily Kane and David Martin accepted positions as next year’s arts and entertainment editors. Staff members also tapped third-year College students Patrick T. Bernal and Lisa French as life editors.

Next year’s sports editors will be third-year College student Pat Brady and second-year College student Kris Wright, while opinion editor positions were given to second-year College students Masha Herbst and Amy Startt.

This year The Cavalier Daily will produce a new weekly feature called Health and Sciences. The staff elected second-year College student David Z. Rose as its first editor.

Staffers chose third-year College students Katie Unser and Dan Cooper as photography editors. New production editors include third-year College students Sean Green and Rima Kazzie, as well as second-year College student Sonia Karim.

The new advertising manager will be third-year Commerce student Robin O’Neil. First-year College students Melissa Huhn and Faten Kanaan will become graphics editors. Third-year Engineering student Michael Pafumi will be webmaster.

This year’s editors also announced staffers who will take on new positions within each department. Ten news associate editors will provide the backbone of the expanded news department: third-year Commerce student Lisa Regelman; second-year College students Greg Bensinger, Claire Edwards, Michael Greenwald, Jey Hurd, Risa Molitz and Nicole V. Thompson; and first-year College students Katye Balls, Nicola White and Lindsay Wise.

"The addition of a higher education beat in the news department is a positive step toward broadening our spectrum of coverage," Conti said.

Third-year College student Rachel Kinnunen and second-year College student Kelly Smith will serve as focus associate editors. First-year Architecture student Brian Haluska and third-year Engineering student Tony Lombardi are the arts and entertainment associate editors.

Life editors named second-year College students Geoffrey Maurer and Mary Rekas, first-year College students June Biolsi and Josh King and first-year Engineering student James Tsai as life associate editors.

Sports associate editors include third-year College student Ray Donahue, second-year College students Mike Melick and John Moorehouse, first-year College students Steve Argeris and Satyan Merchant and first-year Engineering student Jim Reedy.

Second-year College student Katie Dodd and first-year College students Tom Bednar and Tim DuBoff were named opinion associate editors. Second-year College student William Clarkson is health and science associate editor.

First-year College student Al Paradis will be the senior photography associate editor. Other associate photography editors include third-year College student Stephanie Love and first-year College students Tengku Bahar, Kirsten Hunter and Jonathan Kwon. Production associate editors—third-year College student Felix Tanh, second-year College students Derik Cooley-Downs and Paul Tran, as well as second-year Engineering student Keith Moores—also will serve.