Journalism that watchdogs power and explores important issues is critical to bettering New Mexico, which remains at the bottom of so many important lists.
Nathan Kramer / NMSU
The ASNMSU Center for the Arts on the main campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
In that spirit, NMPolitics.net and The Round Up, New Mexico State University’s student-run news organization, are announcing a partnership. NMPolitics.net’s Heath Haussamen will work with student journalists at The Round Up as a collaborator and adviser on stories that have a focus on politics and government.
NMPolitics.net and The Round Up will share publication of those articles.
With fewer journalists watchdogging NMSU these days, such a partnership is critical. We aim to amplify the learning-lab opportunities for student journalists, help The Round Up see important stories through to fruition, and shine a brighter light on the university through cross-publication by a news organization the state’s political class and people in power read.
Haussamen, an NMSU graduate who was editor and publisher of The Round Up during the 1999-2000 and 2002-2003 school years, said he’s excited about the partnership. The Round Up normally has a professional media adviser working with students, but NMSU froze the position after it became vacant earlier this year.
“The Round Up’s former media adviser, Don Dunkel, was an amazing mentor. He taught me the importance of doing journalism that is tough and bold, but also thoughtful and fair,” Haussamen said. “The current Round Up staff deserves similar support. I’m excited to bring my professional experience to this partnership.”
Billy Huntsman, The Round Up’s managing editor, said it’s important that The Round Up’s current staff writers get real-world experience.
“Our writers deserve experience that’s going to prepare them for professional journalism jobs,” Huntsman said. “I try to implement standards that prepare the writers, but having someone like Heath, someone who knows how the professional-journalism and student-journalism worlds work, available to us is invaluable.”
The Round Up has been an important source of news for the NMSU community since 1907. This year it ceased publication of a regular print newspaper. The Round Up now publishes the monthly Oncore Magazine in addition to covering the NMSU community on its website.
NMPolitics.net, which is based in Las Cruces, restarted earlier this year after a three-year hiatus. It has been called one of the best state-based political news websites in the nation.