Well folks, it’s started already. I have a lot of contacts in the SA because I’ve been covering it for almost two years now. This is great for me because people come up to me all the time with stories they think should be on the front page of the Hatchet. If i had a nickel for every idea someone in the SA gave me for a story that didn’t actually develop into an article, i’d be a rich man.
People may wonder- Brandon, if I give you a story idea, why don’t I see an article?

The answer goes back to my ultimate job as a reporter for The Hatchet. My job is to report the major happenings at this school, and in regards to the SA, issues that effect a wide variety of students. Something that is specific to one particular student organization, or legislation in the senate that is aimed at helping one specific group on campus- this is all great stuff the SA is doing, it just is not always worthy of a full news story.

I look for overarching trends in the SA, for systematic problems that come up within the senate and executive, i look for things that effect the entire student population, not just one specific niche on campus.

With that said, don’t stop coming to me with story ideas, many times story’s do come from suggestions you give me. For example, a couple weeks ago we did a story on the Marvin Center being used less by student organizations- that was in direct response to someone in the SA giving me that information.

Last week I wrote the campus development article about GW’s 20 year plan, I have class with Meri Wolff and she mentioned it to me one day, it turned into a front page story.

The moral here is always keep me informed, i like to be on top of everything that’s going on in the SA, i just can’t gurantee that everything you give me will turn into a story.