Tuck will lead DTH in '05-'06

Midway through his sophomore year, Ryan Tuck realized that he wanted to take on the role of editor in chief at The Daily Tar Heel.

Saturday, his goal was realized when a 10-person panel of community members and DTH staff representatives selected the Walkersville, Md., native as the 139th editor of the DTH.

Tuck, this year’s city desk editor and a junior journalism and political science double major, said he was glad he didn’t have to stand in the shoes of the committee members deciding between him and University editor Emily Steel.

“I told them in my closing remarks, ‘I don’t envy you,’” he said. “Emily Steel is a fantastic candidate. … Either way, The Daily Tar Heel isn’t going to go under.”

Chris Coletta, the paper’s managing editor, said both Tuck and Steel were extremely well-qualified to tackle the responsibility of being editor. “Especially this year, they’ve kicked it up and had well-run desks,” he said.

Committee member James Allred, former student body secretary, said the panel was impressed with Tuck’s sense of duty to his readers.

“He seemed to have a great understanding of who his readers are, understanding that the scope of the paper extends beyond just the University campus,” he said.

Allred said Tuck told the committee during his hourlong interview, “I can never miss an assignment because I know if I don’t show up, 40,000 people suffer.”

Also impressive to the committee was Tuck’s work at the City Desk, which Chapel Hill planning director Roger Waldon recently praised as the best local city coverage he’s seen in 22 years.

Coletta said Tuck has done a good job of connecting with people this year. “To be able to connect, especially for the editor-in-chief, it’s really important,” he said. “(The editor can) make The Daily Tar Heel more visible in the community so that when people do want to get a story out … they know that we’re going to be receptive about it.”

Stephanie Poole, a former DTH staff writer and a committee member, said the committee also was excited about Tuck’s vision to expand communication between the visual and news elements of the paper.

Tuck said he stressed to the panel during his interview the college paper’s potential. “We can just be a great newspaper, and I think we’re almost there,” he said.

The selection, originally slated for April 2, was delayed a week after it came to light that the two editor candidates knew the makeup of the selection committee. Paul Isom, the DTH’s general manager, passed along the names of committee members — including those of the four DTH staff members slated to participate in the decision. Historically, candidates do not know which newsroom staff members will be voting on their selection committee.

Steel was given permission to e-mail committee members a revised platform April 1. Through a miscommunication, that same opportunity was not offered to Tuck, causing what the DTH’s Board of Directors convened to review as a possible disparity.

The board determined no wrongdoing on the part of any party, attributing the disparity to miscommunication and confusion. Directors decided that the board must clarify the selection process.

When he finally learned that he would be the paper’s next editor, Tuck said he began to pump his fists. “It was just the most natural high and good feeling I’ve probably ever had in my life,” he said. “I couldn’t think for hours, I was so happy.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.