We are writing about your article, “Hey, What Happened to the Newspapers” in last weeks’ The College Voice (Vol. 34, Iss. 1) which provides inaccurate information. I would like to clarify what transpired given the Office of Student Life has been responsible for ensuring that our campus community has newspapers.
My office was informed that the USA Today Readership Program would no longer be supported in August 2009. Unfortunately, this did not allow an adequate amount of time to secure funding prior to the start of classes.To continue the program at past year’s levels would cost the College approximately $12,000.
As advisor to the Student Government Association, I informed the Executive Board that the newspaper program would likely not be available this year. The Executive Board, in turn, informed the Assembly. The assertion that “students were never notified that the program would not be continued” is simply untrue.
Furthermore, for students to believe “something as simple as a newspaper has been taken away from the student body” is additionally frustrating. The Office of Student Life did not willfully take the newspapers away from students. In fact, I also informed SGA that I would work during the current academic year to pursue future funding for the program. Members of my staff have already begun working to that end.
The Office of Student Life has worked diligently to acquire and maintain the USA Today Collegiate Readership Program over the past several years. Moreover, last year when faculty asked for an increase in the number of copies of the NY Times available on campus it was the Office of Student Life’s budget that incurred the cost for the additional papers. It was a cost that had not been included in my original budget request for the 2008 – 2009 fiscal year thus reducing my budget.
Finally, to indicate that Connecticut College’s peer institutions offer similar readership programs “at no cost to the student body” is misleading. At many institutions who offer a readership program (including Colby, Dartmouth and other elite liberal arts colleges) the program is specifically funded by the Student Government Association or funded by one or more departments/offices. In almost every case the program’s expenses ultimately displace resources from other endeavors. The newspapers our campus has enjoyed for the past years have never been free.
Let’s find a way to resolve this issue by sharing truthful information and seeking creative and collaborative ways to resume a readership program for the campus. Both the Office of Student Life and the Student Government Association are working to resolve this issue. Let’s resolve it together!
Sincerely,
Jocelyn D. Briddell
Dean of Student Life
W. Scott McEver
Director of Student Activities
Sarab Cardwell
Associate Dean of Student Life
