For the past two to three years The New York Times has been available multiple places on campus, but as of next year it will no longer be free. The funding for the paper was a joint effort from 11 campus groups. ASI contributed $5,000 and the president’s office gave $10,000 to supplement the total $42,000 budget.
“ASI was the one initially approached by the paper and agreed to organize and fund it, going around to the different colleges asking for a few thousand dollars,” said Mike Miller, dean of library services. “But when it came up for renewal this year, ASI didn’t feel comfortable contributing again.”
The uncertainty in the budget forced ASI to cut The New York Times on campus as a precautionary measure, ASI President Kelly Griggs said.
“We put the issue through the library because it was agreed that something educational that involves literature should be going through the library funding,” she added. “But unfortunately, (the library) like any other part of campus, needs to cut back on funding as well so they aren’t able to fund the whole program.”
Animal science junior Skip Kanemaki said it’s “terrible” that the newspapers will no longer be free.
“I’ve never been one to pick up the newspaper in the morning, but I know a lot of people do,” Kanemaki said. “A lot of kids see the New York Times as a legit news source.”
The majority of the staff and the dean’s council wants to provide the paper as it is helpful in the academic process and encourages students to read, according to Miller.
“The library is in favor of offering the paper to students,” Miller said, “but with all the pressures on the budget and knowing that The New York Times is available for free electronically, it just seems that $42,000 could be put to better use. So, it was basically a financial decision.”
Kinesiology senior Dylan Conrad said it’s important for the university to save money where it can, and that getting rid of free New York Times is a good start.
“I’ve never even seen the New York Times on campus,” said Conrad. “I don’t know how many people even get their information from the New York Times, especially when they can just go online.”