Communications Board appoints new editor in chief
By Michelle Chen
April 10, 1996 9:00 p.m.
In what was only a formality, the students’ association Communications Board appointed sole applicant Patrick Kerkstra as Daily Bruin editor in chief for the 1996-97 school year.
Kerkstra, a second-year student in English and history, said he plans a future in print journalism.
“I think I could do a good job,” said Kerkstra about why he wanted to be editor in chief. “The Daily Bruin has a lot of
potential. It has a lot of growth ahead.”
Excited and confident about his new position, Kerkstra said he has several overall goals for the paper. One main objective is improving recruitment for next year.
“I would like to build a news staff that reflects the demographics of UCLA. Not just racially, but to have more grad
students and different majors working for The Bruin,” he said.
In order to create a diverse staff, Kerkstra said he plans to publicize The Bruin to classes throughout UCLA by initiating a direct electronic mail campaign, and by setting up a table on Bruin
Walk.
Through such efforts, he hopes to fight the perception of UCLA students as being an apathetic population.
“If The Bruin gives UCLA the in-depth coverage that it deserves, I think that we’ll find that students are interested in more current issues than they are given credit for,” Kerkstra said.
In addition, Kerkstra wants to bring the notion of public journalism to The Bruin during his tenure.
“Public journalism is working with the community by inserting voter registration cards in The Bruin (and) things along those lines,” he said.
Having started as a general reporter first quarter of his freshman year, Kerkstra quickly worked himself up the Daily Bruin hierarchy. He was almost immediately assigned to cover the students’ association during its financial crisis in the 1994-1995 school year. At the end of his first year at the paper, he was appointed to his current position as assistant editor for finance and politics.
Roxane Marquez, the current editor in chief, expressed great confidence in her successor.
“I am so excited that Patrick is going to do this because he has certain advantages that I never had,” Marquez said. “He never gets tired and is an impeccable perfectionist. He’s also a commanding presence and is one of the brightest people I’ve met at UCLA.”
Arvli Ward, the Student Media director, also was pleased with Kerkstra.
“I think he is going to be a great editor,” Ward said. “He has all the marks of a great editor.”
Kerkstra’s appointment is technically an interim appointment until fall, when he will officially be made editor in chief. The first issue Kerkstra will edit will be the last issue of spring quarter.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Patrick Kerkstra
“If The Bruin gives UCLA the in-depth coverage that it deserves,
I think that we’ll find that students are interested in more
current issues than they are given credit for.”
