DANIELLE MALOTT/Arizona Daily Wildcat Jeff Sklar will take the reins of the Arizona Daily Wildcat in the fall. He was editor-in-chief in fall 2001, and looks forward to returning.

As the school year draws to a close, two UA reporters are preparing to mount the Wildcat throne as editors-in-chief for the summer and fall.

Journalism senior Arek Sarkissian II and junior Jeff Sklar were named April 11 as overseers of the paper.

"In essence, it's the CEO of the paper," said Sklar, the fall editor-in-chief. "No one in the world can override the editor-in-chief on issues of content."

Sklar served last summer and fall as editor-in-chief, and is the first to return to his former position in at least 25 years, said Mark Woodhams, Wildcat adviser and Arizona Student Media director.

"It's a tribute to his position and to the high regard in which he's held as a journalist and a student," Woodhams said.

With plans for the Wildcat that include redefining the managing editor's job, bringing the Wildcat to on-campus forums and improving the Web site, Sklar's theme behind the changes is to give everyone involved with the paper their own stake, he said.

"'If it ain't broke don't fix it' is the most dangerous phrase in management," Sklar said, coining a phrase UA President Pete Likins used in a speech about Focused Excellence.

"Jeff has a mission," said Daniel Scarpinato, the current Wildcat editor-in-chief. "Between last semester and this semester a lot of efforts were made to improve the product. It looks good, it feels good, and it reads good and that's a good foundation for the changes."

Approximately 100 people will work under Sklar in the fall, a fact that makes Sklar a little nervous. However, he said his nervousness is a good thing.

"If I wasn't nervous we'd fail," he said. "Nerves keeps us on our toes and hard at work."

"I admire his willingness to step in and (be editor-in-chief) again," said professor Jim Johnson, who taught Sklar in his "Reporting Public Affairs" class.

"Sklar is one of the best in the class. He has already done a fine job; it shows he has a passion for what he does."

"My favorite part is walking around seeing people reading the paper, knowing that I am in some way changing their lives, making them better," Sklar said. "If we remember this, we will be better people and have a better paper."

When Sklar last held the position he worked 50 hours per week and stayed as late as 5:30 a.m., next year he is hoping to cut the hours back to 30-35 hours per week, and spend more time at the paper earlier in the day.

A transfer student from USC his sophomore year, Sklar has worked as assistant news editor, news editor, senior writer and editor-in-chief in his career at the Wildcat, he said.

"I'll be 21 this fall so at least if something goes horribly wrong I'll be able to legally drown my sorrows," Sklar said.

From June until August, however, Sarkissian will deal with all the sorrows and pleasures of running the Arizona Summer Wildcat.

Sarkissian, a veteran Wildcat reporter, also interned for seven months last year at the Arizona Daily Star.

"He stands out as a quintessential news reporter eager to leave his mark on the Wildcat," Woodhams said. "(Sarkissian) eats, breathes and sleeps the news. And he is a highly motivated hard worker."

"My heart will always be in reporting, but this will really be the pinnacle of my amazing career ÷ working for one of the largest daily papers in the country," Sarkissian said.

Sarkissian said he plans to give the Summer Wildcat more of a magazine feel with a fresh twist on the daily news. He hopes to bring the knowledge he obtained while working for the Star to "produce the best issues possible for our readers."

"My plans for the Summer Wildcat include not only letting students and staff know what's going on or how things ought to be, but it's also going to tell students and staff how to have fun in Tucson," Sarkissian said. "I'm hoping it will meet the needs of everyone who has to be here on campus over the summer."

Sarkissian said he also hopes to make his editorial decisions and run the paper based on his "experience of observing how the paper's been run in the past," he added.

Sarkissian, a Detroit native, came to Tucson in 1999 to attend UA.

He said that when he first arrived on campus and saw the Daily Wildcat, he was intimidated by its size. But he said he "bit that bullet" and applied to be a reporter.

÷ Kristina Dunham contributed to this report