Minnesota Daily editor-in-chief resigns

Man, just when we thought State of Play was the last hurrah for journalism drama, in comes news from the University of Minnesota MN Daily. Editor-in-chief Vadim Lavrusik resigns after breaking rules of his suspension. Oh, snap.

The MN Daily reports on Lavrusik's fall:

Lavrusik was suspended for a week without pay effective Sunday, May 3, for contributing Daily content to a Star Tribune article about riots during Spring Jam.

On Tuesday morning, Lavrusik changed the order of stories on the Daily's website, moving the "Open letter to our readers" to less prominent placement on the Daily homepage. His resignation came before The Minnesota Daily Board of Directors determined whether or not this action violated his suspension.

Lavrusik is currently a student reporter on assignment for the Star Tribune through a U of M journalism course.

The Daily writes that Lavrusik, who we hear is on his way to the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, resigned to help put out a shitstorm. Lavrusik tells reporter Brianna Bierschbach, "Me going in and editing the stories on the website was not done out of malice or done with intention to change the news in anyway."

His resignation follows a letter written by other Daily editors published Monday criticizing the Office of the Publisher for taking their $3,000 bonuses as the newspaper tries to cut the budget. Lavrusik did not receive a bonus. The other two Office of the Publisher members responded in a letter today.

Dang. Me thinks this is better than a telenovela.