At large universities, it is not unusual for op-eds to be drafted by staff members. The person whose name appears on the piece generally reviews and edits the article and generally has provided information for the piece through interviews prior to development of the piece. In general, however, most op-ed editors prefer to avoid ghostwritten pieces.

In working with faculty, the media director can be helpful in suggesting topics, narrowing a topic, editing and rewriting.

Avoid topics currently appearing on the front pages of daily newspapers. For the most part, once an issue becomes front page news, op-ed editors already have been inundated by opinion pieces on that topic. The best advice is to try to anticipate issues, or develop new angles on old issues, or both.

To learn more about how to implement an effective Op-Ed program see Special Report #15 “15 Steps to Effective University and College Media Relations”