Editor's Message - Fall/Winter 2007

UCONN

Volume 8, Number 3 - Fall/Winter 2007

Reaching out on the air

WHUS Offers Students Unique Learning Experience

Although the Undergraduate Student Government, Daily Campus, Nutmeg and UConn Marching Band are the modern incarnations of the University’s oldest student organizations, today UConn’s most public and far-reaching student group is WHUS, which is celebrating its 85th year of broadcasting.

Kenneth Best In addition to its significance as a part of UConn, the radio station holds a place in Connecticut history as one of the state’s earliest broadcasters and as its first educational station. Details of WHUS history are in our Then & Now feature.

Like many college radio stations, WHUS provides an eclectic mix of music and public affairs programs that serves as an alternative to what is heard on commercial radio. It also has a clear educational mission to provide training to students and members of the University community who are interested in learning about radio.

The station’s educational mission is the secret to the vitality of WHUS as a unique voice in eastern Connecticut and, now, on the Internet. Three times each year a new group of trainees—mostly UConn students but also some members of the local community —take several weeks to learn the technical aspects of broadcasting, communications law and the responsibilities that are inherent to having the privilege of sitting behind an open microphone. They also spend several hours with an experienced member of the WHUS staff learning to operate the equipment in what is now one of the top radio facilities—college or commercial—in the United States.

Once approved for broadcast privileges, new WHUS staff help to reenergize the Connecticut airwaves. Whether it is punk, hip-hop, indie rock, world music, blues or even classic rock ’n’ roll, the widest spectrum of music breaks through. So, too, does a new generation’s voice on current events and world issues in public affairs programming, as well as coverage of Husky athletics, from football and women’s soccer to field hockey and baseball.

Although WHUS has launched careers in broadcasting for many throughout its history, more often it has served as a unique diversion from the rigors of the classroom for future engineers, scientists, business executives, historians, social workers, writers, artists and other professionals, much the same as dozens of other student organizations have done for students and alumni.

A final thought: As UCONN magazine continues to evolve with its new look, so too does our editorial content. In addition to providing coverage of new academic programs and other areas of interest to alumni, on occasion we will feature UConn experts writing about their areas of scholarship. This edition features an early analysis of the potential legacy of President George W. Bush by Prof. David A. Yalof, a UConn political scientist and scholar on presidential appointments to The Supreme Court of the United States.

Letters to the editor
must be signed and should be no more than 300 words.

They will be printed as space allows and edited for style, grammar, typographical errors, content and length.

Send letters to:

UConn Magazine
34 North Eagleville Road
Unit 3144
Storrs, CT 06269-3144

Email: uconnmagazine@uconn.edu

Issue Home

	UCONN

		Volume 8, Number 3 - Fall/Winter 2007 Reaching out on the air WHUS Offers Students Unique Learning Experience Although the Undergraduate Student Government, Daily Campus, Nutmeg and UConn Marching Band are the modern incarnations of the University’s oldest student organizations, today UConn’s most public and far-reaching student group is WHUS, which is celebrating its 85th year of broadcasting. In addition to its significance as a part of UConn, the radio station holds a place in Connecticut history as one of the state’s earliest broadcasters and as its first educational station. Details of WHUS history are in our Then & Now feature. Like many college radio stations, WHUS provides an eclectic mix of music and public affairs programs that serves as an alternative to what is heard on commercial radio. It also has a clear educational mission to provide training to students and members of the University community who are interested in learning about radio. The station’s educational mission is the secret to the vitality of WHUS as a unique voice in eastern Connecticut and, now, on the Internet. Three times each year a new group of trainees—mostly UConn students but also some members of the local community —take several weeks to learn the technical aspects of broadcasting, communications law and the responsibilities that are inherent to having the privilege of sitting behind an open microphone. They also spend several hours with an experienced member of the WHUS staff learning to operate the equipment in what is now one of the top radio facilities—college or commercial—in the United States. Once approved for broadcast privileges, new WHUS staff help to reenergize the Connecticut airwaves. Whether it is punk, hip-hop, indie rock, world music, blues or even classic rock ’n’ roll, the widest spectrum of music breaks through. So, too, does a new generation’s voice on current events and world issues in public affairs programming, as well as coverage of Husky athletics, from football and women’s soccer to field hockey and baseball. Although WHUS has launched careers in broadcasting for many throughout its history, more often it has served as a unique diversion from the rigors of the classroom for future engineers, scientists, business executives, historians, social workers, writers, artists and other professionals, much the same as dozens of other student organizations have done for students and alumni. A final thought: As UCONN magazine continues to evolve with its new look, so too does our editorial content. In addition to providing coverage of new academic programs and other areas of interest to alumni, on occasion we will feature UConn experts writing about their areas of scholarship. This edition features an early analysis of the potential legacy of President George W. Bush by Prof. David A. Yalof, a UConn political scientist and scholar on presidential appointments to The Supreme Court of the United States. Letters to the editor must be signed and should be no more than 300 words. They will be printed as space allows and edited for style, grammar, typographical errors, content and length. Send letters to: UConn Magazine 34 North Eagleville Road Unit 3144 Storrs, CT 06269-3144 Email: uconnmagazine@uconn.edu Issue Home
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