Spotlight, Macalester’s student directory, was released to the community last Friday after a slight delay due to problems with the printer.

Nate Abbott ’05 and Aaron Meyers ’05 co-edited Spotlight. “The Spotlight is some sort of weird hybrid between a phone directory and a yearbook,” Meyers said. “It's basically a resource that opens up lines of communication while being a humorous read at the same time.”

Abbott and Meyers began working on Spotlight in June. They said that they had a basic outline for the publication by the time they arrived back on campus in September. “Above everything, we just wanted to get it out,” Abbott said. “Obviously we wanted it to be the best Spotlight ever, but regardless, we just wanted to get it out. We wanted to provide something that next year’s Spotlight could build off of.”

The editors planned to release Spotlight on Oct. 31, but according to Abbott, the proofs were delayed on the way to the printer, Shakopee Valley Printing.

“I wouldn't blame their end if I didn't think they deserved it, but the printing company definitely didn't handle our case well at all,” Meyers said. “I'm not recommending them to next year's Spotlight staff.”

The editors encountered other problems during the production process, such as failed camera equipment. The editors said they were unable to take pictures of faculty or staff this year because of the problem with faulty camera equipment.

“Almost every aspect of [the production], from the development of content to the photography process to dealing with the printer was complicated, a lot more so than I first imagined it,” Meyers said.

Though there were some problems with this year’s production of the Spotlight, they were minimal compared to last year, Abbott said. Last year’s editors also had miscommunication problems with the same printing company. Printing problems, along with many other managerial and technical issues, caused a nearly six-month delay in Spotlight’s publication.

Abbott said that he has heard positive reviews of Spotlight from the Macalester community. “It is excellent,” Bo Rydze ’05 said. “I think Nate did an excellent job, as did Aaron.”

“Though I was too cool to get my picture taken for the Spotlight, I think that it is amusing and will provide hours of entertainment for lonely first-years,” Laura Kerr ’07 said.

However, some students complained of errors in the publication, such as mislabeled pictures and spelling errors.

“My opinion [of Spotlight] is rather low because they put someone else’s picture over my name,” Carolyn Fryberger ’07 said.