By Michele Richinick
Northeastern is not any closer in finding a new Student Media Board adviser than it was before the beginning of the semester, said some members of the Student Media Board.
After former media board adviser Sandra Miller resigned from her position in the spring, Chris McGill, director of student activities, leadership and scholarship, has acted as the temporary media adviser.
“We still don’t have one yet because we are still trying to find someone suitable to fill Sandra Miller’s shoes,” said Candice Springer, editor-in-chief of the Onyx Informer. “I’d rather find somebody that is capable of doing the job than hiring someone to just fill the position.”
The Student Media Board was established in 1987 to assist the student media in the effective conduct of their news, business, broadcasting or other endeavors, and to enhance and advocate the role of the student media on campus, according to the university’s website.
On May 21, The News reported that McGill said she expected to have a new media adviser by the fall, but no new adviser has been appointed.
“Chris McGill is currently working with student media, and we’re still considering how best to serve student interests for the long-term,” said Jim Chiavelli, interim university spokesperson, in a statement to The News.
The media board consists of on-campus media, including the Northeastern University Cauldron Yearbook, NUTV, the Onyx Informer, The Patriot, Spectrum Literary Arts Magazine, Tastemakers, Times New Roman and WRBB 104.9 FM.
Since the beginning of the fall semester, the university has interviewed as many as three candidates for a new media adviser, Springer said. The university notified students in media organizations about the interviews in order to give them a chance to meet the candidates by going out to lunch or walking around campus with them, she said.
“It seemed the [candidates] weren’t capable enough to handle the job or take the job at the current time,” Springer said.
It made sense and was a good idea to get students’ inputs about the candidates because they will be working with the new hire, Springer said.
“It’s not like we were going to be choosing the person,” she said. “I think that they were trying to make it clear that our viewpoint and our say were valuable in choosing the next adviser.”
Stephen Asay, editor of the Cauldron Yearbook, told The News that McGill has the best intentions, and that is all he can ask of her.
“She does the best that she can,” he said. “She doesn’t have a media background so she is not as aware of all our needs as someone who has a media background.”
Springer said McGill keeps the media organizations updated through e-mails and by being present at media board meetings.
“She has a lot on her plate,” Springer said. “I don’t think she ever saw herself being in this role.”
