One person’s news is another person’s trivia. Some folks soak up every tidbit of information and gossip about politics, sometimes confusing campaigns and party competitions with governing. Some immerse themselves in the minutia of one sport or another – or several sports. Other people really, really want to know how this year’s crop of celebrities are misbehaving in their spare time. And often there’s little overlap among those and other niche news consumers.

So I ask you — what were the biggest stories in The Cavalier Daily last semester? How well did the paper cover those stories? What events or issues should have gotten more attention? What did The Cavalier Daily miss altogether?

I have some ideas.

Morgan Harrington’s disappearance would have to make the list. That story’s not finished, since the person responsible for her disappearance and death hasn’t been caught. But when a story that gets national attention and literally involves life and death begins where your basketball team plays its home games, that obligates a newspaper to pay a lot of attention.

The search for a new president is always a big story in the life of any university, and the choosing of a successor to John T. Casteen, III has to be one of the biggest stories for the University  over the past semester.

It’s not as weighty, perhaps, but the change in the University’s football coach was also a big story. It involves lots of money and a sport that draws tens of thousands of people to Scott Stadium. And yes, even this past season, the crowds could still be counted in the tens of thousands.

I plan to talk to some Cavalier Daily editors about their coverage of those stories — not just what got in the paper and on the Web site, but also the thinking and planning that put those things there in that particular form.

And I’ll ask what they think were the biggest stories of the fall semester.

I’d also like to ask them about what you see as the biggest stories. So tell me. What were the biggest stories? Where did the coverage come up short? What got missed altogether? And what do you think got way too much attention?

I plan to spend at least a column or two on this, and I’d like to have your help. That’s not just because I’m fishing for ideas. Part of what I’m supposed to do is help readers understand and influence The Cavalier Daily — and vice versa.

Part of my role is to serve as a disinterested observer. Because I have some experience in journalism — I started when I was younger than most University students and I’ve been at it longer than most University students have been alive — I’m supposed to offer some guidance to both sides of the conversation. The idea is that I’ll recognize when The Cavalier Daily staff has gone astray. And I’ll be able to explain to readers when the staff has done right even though some people might not recognize that fact. Some of the time, I pick the subjects myself. But I’d rather write about what you’re interested in.

So, if you want to be part of this series of columns, or if you have a completely unrelated question or complaint, e-mail me.

And, while we’re at it, e-mail is the best way to reach me on any subject. Some folks have left comments on the Cav Daily’s Web site expecting the ombudsman to respond. I don’t see all of those. But I do read my e-mail. I welcome your comments and questions about my work and the work of The Cavalier Daily’s staff. I’ll try to find answers and share them with you.

So let’s get this started. Tell me what you think. The biggest stories. The missed stories. The coverage that just went wrong.

I’ll see what I can find out.

Tim Thornton is The Cavalier Daily’s ombudsman.  He can be reached at t.thornton@cavalierdaily.com