Some of you may remember seeing the advertisements in The Crimson two weeks ago. In sprawling letters occupying the lower quarter of the page was the exclamation OMBUDSPERSON!? Underneath, there was a brief description of the duties expected--a biweekly column, daily reading of the entire paper, interviewing Crimson executives and the editors of other papers. Still, you were baffled. "What really is an Ombudsperson?" you wondered. You rushed to the dictionary to uncover this SAT word long forgotten. There you were shocked to find only a listing for an obviously archaic word, ombudsman. You were disgusted. Noah Webster must have been a sexist.

Still, rest assured that I too, as the new Crimson Ombudsperson, did my research. I have, through hours in the library, gained a grasp on the role I am assuming. Perhaps a less confusing title given to the Ombudsperson, I have learned, is "Reader Representative." My job, then, as the new reader representative will be to investigate and report on reader feedback to Crimson coverage. Although I need not agree with stances taken by Crimson readers, I will ensure that readers' comments are heard by the powers-that-be. Ideally, all the material for my biweekly column will be based on reader feedback. In these columns, I will have free reign to criticize or praise Crimson coverage.

Furthermore, I am the first Crimson Ombudsperson who is not also a Crimson executive. This year's editors decided that having a Crimson exec in charge of a column designed to offer an outsider's view of Crimson coverage was just a wee slight conflict of interest. And, indeed, I am not a Crimson executive, nor have I ever comped The Crimson. Until I took this position, I had never even been quoted in a Crimson news story.

As a result, I feel capable of representing the Crimson reader viewpoint in an unbiased fashion. I am a junior in the College living in Kirkland House and a three-year reader of The Crimson. I have freelanced for the Harvard Gazette, investigating stories of my own choosing, giving coverage to the extraordinary accomplishments of Harvard undergraduates and the groups of which they are part. In that role, I have come to respect the Harvard undergraduate even more than when I first moved into Canaday Hall for my first year at Harvard.

Over the summers, I have dedicated myself to journalistic interests. As an intern at the Boston Phoenix, I aided then media critic, now Boston Globe Ombudsperson, Mark Jurkowitz. This summer, I will intern with ABC's "This Week" with David Brinkley.

As Crimson Reader Representative, I will try to ensure that The Crimson keeps in mind the best interests of its entire constituency. I will not be afraid to criticize Crimson coverage that falls short of that goal, nor will I begrudge The Crimson its due when its coverage is exceptionally good.

I will field questions relating to everything from news content to capitalization. Even misspelled names are not beyond the realm of complaint. My goal is to make The Crimson the absolute best it can be. My hope is that the Reader Representative column will actually deal with reader concerns. Thus, I would encourage you, dear Reader, to call the Reader Representative number (576-6565) or e-mail me (szeller@fas.harvard.edu) with your criticism, your praise or simply your input.

As I spell-check this column only to learn that the makers of computer dictionaries, too, live in the dark ages where ombudspeople are called men, I send out a final appeal, dear Reader: Let us work together.

Shawn Zeller's Reader Representative column will, in the future, appear on alternate Fridays.