Executive Directors

The executive directors, led by the executive editor, serve as the senior leadership of The Observer. They are to meet weekly outside of production periods and discuss ways to improve the newspaper and address staff-related issues. Together, the four directors represent the four pillars of a competitive modern news publication: print, web, design, and business. Each director has their own dedicated team, for which they are ultimately responsible.

Director of Print

  • • Responsible for managing the print edition of The Observer and its corresponding production night
  • • Oversees The Observer’s content curating across all sections
  • • Recruits writers with help from section editors
  • • Helps section editors with budgeting and generating story ideas and ideas for online content
  • • Holds weekly office hours for writers who need help or advice
  • • Facilitates communication between copy editors and section editors
  • • Oversees staff training and addresses any staff problems
  • • Orders food for production nights
  • • Edits copy after copy editors
  • • With executive editor and director of design, makes final check on production nights

Director of Design

  • • Oversees layout and design of the print and online editions of The Observer
  • • Assists the director of print with the management of production night
  • • Assists designers with any challenges
  • • Ensures that layout is consistent across different sections
  • • Serves as creative director of the newspaper and website, helping section editors brainstorm ideas to make newspaper more graphically appealing
  • • Acts as liaison to PM Graphics; sends order confirmation to PM contact on Wednesday evening
  • • Determines section page assignments
  • • Brainstorms theme for and designs Fun Page
  • • Edits pictures such that they are standardized to the format of the paper, including “State Your Case” and teaser pictures
  • • Creates a separate folder of web-optimized photos for observer.case.edu
  • • Edits business ads such that they can be placed appropriately in the newspaper
  • • Designs ads as requested by director of business and operations
  • • Ensures all ads have been placed in the newspaper
  • • Executes any additional photo or graphic requests made by section editors or designers
  • • With executive editor and director of print, makes final check on production nights
  • • Makes PDFs at the end of production night, including color separations for color pages

Director of Web and Multimedia

  • Responsible for all digital and multimedia content to include online publishing, social media publicity, photography, and any other non-print media
  • Organizes and supervises training of new team members in areas of online publishing, social media publicity, photography, and any other non-print media
  • Advises the board of directors on current technology advancements and requirements of the staff
  • Adds the PDF of the current print edition to Issuu.com
  • Work with other editors to brainstorm exclusively online content
  • Creates and maintains online State Your Case poll with opinion editor
  • Manages staff and reader accounts
  • Works with director of business operations for online advertising and classifieds
  • Approves all advances in title for photography team
  • Oversees multimedia, web, and social media editors

Director of Business and Operations

  • Sets salaries in conjunction with executive editor and coordinates monthly payment
  • Facilitates all financial transactions, including paying the bills, depositing checks, placing orders for the staff, buying supplies, sending invoices to advertisers, and submitting university organizations’ invoices for journaling<
  • Manages credit and debit accounts for The Observer
  • Addresses all problems that arise from The Observer’s finances
  • Maintains physical and digital payment record to be kept in archive for 3 years
  • Meets with Media Board financial adviser on a weekly basis
  • Consults with executive editor on all major problems and changes in management of advertising and accounts receivable
  • Ensures proper distribution of print edition to all designated areas
  • Oversees all business managers