Carnegie
Corporation
of New York
Winter 2006
DOLLARS DILEMMA
Commenting on the Chronicle’s online competition, Semas
says, “We think we are already providing the best possible news
for higher education and basically try to put out the best publication
and best online service and not worry too much about what [others] are
doing.”
Still, the Chronicle staff continue to evaluate the possibility of new projects that fit their philosophy and seem financially feasible. In June 2005, Weidlein was appointed Editor of Special Projects and he is exploring a range of concepts involving K-12 education, including trends in college admission, how high schools are preparing students and how colleges are preparing teachers along with the possibility of making some information more easily accessible to groups of subscribers such as college trustees, state legislators and members of Congress. “There are a variety of ideas, but it is too soon to say how we would pursue that area,” Weidlein says. He pointed out that they would be careful to avoid competing with Education Week, which, as noted earlier, is published by EPE.
Whatever is in store for the Chronicle’s future, its policy not to take an editorial stance will remain in place. “We decided early on not to have an editorial page,” says Gwaltney. “We never have published an editorial, never taken a stand, political or otherwise; we’ve just reported the news.” Gwaltney describes his current role as rather inactive, adding that he has lunch once a week with Semas and others. As chairman and sole member of what is amusingly referred to as the “Board of Director,” Gwaltney says his job is still to be the Chronicle’s “best friend and severest critic.”