Andrew Burton
Asst. Photo Editor, Special Projects Editor Fall 2009-Spring 2010

To the readers and critics of The Daily Orange:
I’m a graduating senior and I didn’t become involved with The Daily Orange until this semester. Prior to this, I was a strong, vocal critic about our campus’ student publication.
Due to some close friends working at the paper this semester, I have become more involved and I want to stress to you how much time and effort these kids put into making their product the best they can.
I understand there are constantly typos and fact errors, I know the journalistic standards are not as high as professional publications’, and I know that, often, the writing, photos and graphics suck.
Still, you need to give these kids a break. They work 40-plus hours a week, often staying up until 4, 5, 6 in the morning while still being full-time students. They view this as a full-time job and put it before their schoolwork. The staff members break their backs for this paper and they try their hardest. They don’t want to have their name on a sh**ty product anymore than you want to read a sh**ty product.
You need to also understand that The D.O. works as a learning institution, that many of the students working at The D.O. are trying journalism for the first time. They’re still learning how to conduct interviews, write well, take good photos. One of the main reasons The D.O. exists is to act as a training ground for those of us who want to do this as a living. And throughout all of this, the staff is still trying to pass classes, have some form of social life and get some sleep, too.
I have not been very nice to the majority of the staff at The D.O. I hold them to the same standards you do, and use a lot of strong language when I’m there. I have angered a lot of people for some of the things I have said and have made few friends. I associate with you (the reader) more than with the staff. But I also recognize that they are trying their hardest, and I ask that you do the same. If you think you can do a better job, or make it a better place, please come try. They are always looking for talented, passionate people.
       
To Tyler and Conor: Go Jazz
 
To the rest of you: You’re all right, well, at least some of you. What up, Molly Snee — girl, you are pretty cool.
 
To Meredith: Words cannot express how proud I am of you, words cannot express how much I respect and love and am impressed by you. I have said it once, and I will say it again: I could not do what you have done. It is such a pleasure and honor to know you, to call you a close friend.
For those of you who do not know the story, Meredith Galante, editor in chief of The Daily Orange, did not choose to be put in this position. Due to questionable, unexpected circumstances, she was thrown into the top slot only days before the beginning of this semester. Originally, she just wanted to be a sports editor. And under her, the paper has blossomed.
Throughout this semester she has had to learn how to become the chief executive officer of a corporation, manage an unruly staff of 70-plus college kids, ensure all the sections have daily content and actually publish a paper — all while taking 15 credits.
She has weathered innumerable storms: dropped stories, missed photos, staff quitting, back-stabbing friends, meeting with Chancy Nancy on a weekly basis, angry readers, international news organizations calling to ask questions, lawyers threatening to sue, break-ins, larceny, forgery, very real law suits, debt and angry professors. All of this while routinely getting two, three, four hours of sleep. She is the first person at The D.O. every night, and the last one to leave every night. She watches the sun come up as a hobby. And whenever something goes wrong, whether it be the printers who print The D.O. or the paper’s finances or stories falling through, she gets the call. More often than she cares to admit, she has to haul her ass out of bed at 6 a.m., after going to bed at 5 a.m., to fix a problem.
And I will say this: She looks damn good doing it all, too. She is always composed, always put together, always ready to handle another situation. While others come in wearing pajamas, she always looks, sounds and acts her best. She leads numerous meetings on a daily and weekly basis, balancing the emotions and turmoil of her staff and herself. She is a good roommate, a good student, a good leader a good person.
Meredith, I cannot find the right words to describe how much you have kicked ass. The paper has flourished under you. You have created an atmosphere of professionalism, competition, education and fun. You revamped the website. Your staff won awards. You created competition and desire to work for this paper — something that hasn’t happened in years. You leave the paper so much better than it was.
You mean the world to me. I could not do what you do. I can’t tell you how excited I am to watch where you go.

F*** the haters. Let them hate. You ran this b****.