I believe Donald Mariutto is the odds-on favorite to become FAU’s first-ever assistant director of student media.
“I’m a champion of the media,” Mariutto told the 10-member search committee last Thursday during his phone interview. “I don’t think anyone should come in and dictate from on high, saying to the students at FAU that this is way the world works and you better comply.”
Mariutto, who works at the local Tribune-owned TV station, made my heart skip a beat. I wanted to kiss him through the speakerphone.
Then Bob Bailyn, the only journalism professor on the committee and a retired newspaper editor, asked, “Should student media challenge Student Government?”
Pause.
“That’s an interesting question,” Mariutto replied, losing all his previous eloquence. He paused again before answering like this…
I think that, you know, I would like to see, you know, our student journalists have as much independence as possible, I mean, within the realm of the structure of the organization. Depending on how your business or your organization is structured, there’s going to be responsibilities and guidelines, and I think students should adhere to responsibilities and guidelines. Now how those are going to be set, though, are matters to discuss.
My heart skipped another beat. Then it promptly went into V-fib. Really? We’d have to discuss this?
I thought to myself: Mr. Mariutto would fit neatly into FAU’s administration. He says all the right things – until it’s time to do the right thing.
Later, another committee member asked, “What’s your biggest weakness?” Mariutto replied…
If I’ve had a criticism in the past, it’s that I needed to push the envelope just a little bit more, to stretch it and to challenge a little bit more than I did. I try as much as possible to work through the established channels, and probably I can look back at various times in my career where if I had raised my voice a little more, maybe we would’ve gotten a little more done.
Now my heart stopped beating completely. Just what FAU needs: a media leader with a problem questioning authority.
So of course, the search committee invited Mariutto to visit campus. He arrives July 26. Joining him that same week will be two other finalists.
TOMORROW: Meet finalist No. 2.
