The Spectrum’s coverage of the fiscal transition from Sub-Board I to the Faculty Student Association won a national award for Best Breaking News Story last week.
The College Media Association announced former senior news editor Tanveen Vohra and current managing editor Jacklyn Walters won the Pinnacle Award for the spring 2019 story in Washington, D.C. on Friday. The piece, titled “UB to replace Sub-Board I with Faculty Student Association as student government fiscal agent,” explains UB’s decision to replace SBI, an organization which oversaw student fees for 49 years, with FSA, a private nonprofit doing business as Campus Dining & Shops. The story discussed UB’s decision and how it put SBI’s services –– such as free legal counsel, the South Campus safety shuttle bus and radio station WRUB –– in jeopardy.
Vohra, who now lives in Boston, was grateful CMA recognized her and Walters’ work.
“It was a tough story because there were so many sides to it and of course it was in the middle of finals week, so I was shuffling through multiple choice questions and protests,” Vohra said. “But we did it. Working with Jackie is always so easy and fun. It always helps to have a shared understanding and work ethic with your co-editor and Jackie and I always had that.”
Walters, then senior news editor with Vohra, said the piece was a defining moment during her student journalism career.
“I think the award is really validating, that the work we did and are doing matters and will hopefully make a difference,” Walters said. “I know this was a story students really cared about and this is still an ongoing conversation on campus. And writing the piece with Tanveen was f-----g nuts, because we only had two days to do dozens of interviews. I don’t know where I would be without her help on the piece, on the news desk and her unwavering support.”
News desk can be reached at news@ubspectrum.com.
