The UCSB Press Council announced yesterday its choice of Brendan Buhler as next year’s editor-in-chief of the Daily Nexus, making him the first person in Nexus history to be elected twice to that position.

Bob Sipchen, UCSB alum, professional representative on the Press Council and Pulitzer Prize-winning editorialist at the Los Angeles Times, said he was impressed by Buhler’s leadership this year, and is confident in his ability to manage the paper.

“I am impressed by his professionalism. Despite the Teva sandals, he knows a lot about how to run a newspaper; it’s quite impressive,” Sipchen said.

Before someone can become editor-in-chief of the Nexus they must submit an application and proposal to the Press Council. Candidates debate their opponents in front of the newspaper staff, which then votes on whom they will endorse for the position. This staff recommendation, coupled with a recommendation from the current editor-in-chief, is given to Press Council, which has the final say in the process. This year, Buhler ran unopposed, and despite some write-in votes for Al Gore and Alf, he won a majority in the staff vote.

As editor-in-chief, Buhler is ultimately responsible for the editorial content of the paper. He handles managerial and personnel matters and is the last news editor to check a story for content before copy editors read it.

“The editor-in-chief is the head honcho, the final decision-maker and ultimately responsible for the entire content of the Nexus every day,” Daily Nexus Campus Editor Stephanie Tavares said.

Buhler got his start in journalism as a freshman reporter at the Nexus, and despite the hard work and long nights he has worked since, Buhler said he has “enjoyed the hell out of it.”

Buhler, a fourth-year history major, has led the Nexus through the 2002-03 academic year, but has some plans for improvement next year, including reorganizing the Nexus news hole by merging the campus and county desks and moving the features and science desks under one news editor.

“The Nexus is an immensely fun place to work,” Buhler said. “Next year I hope to maybe get an extra hour of sleep or two.”