Readership program in jeopardy after loss of funds
Rise in readers has lead to a shortage in newspapers on campus-wide stands.
Allison Krause
Issue date: 9/16/08 Section: News
The University of North Dakota Student Government is asking for help on funding issues facing the Collegiate Readership Program.
"Last year's presidential finance decided to reduce funding for the readership program so this year we're able to offer fewer newspapers," said UND Student Government Treasurer Sterling Wiggins.
Beyond the decrease in funding, the program is also facing some extra strain due to an increase in consumption of the papers. This is due to the fact that it's an election year, so students are more concerned with current events, but also that UND's overall enrollment has increased this year as well. While these are both positives in themselves, it poses a problem when there just aren't enough papers for everyone who wants one.
"The way the readership program works is that in order to spread the papers throughout the year, so we'll have papers every day, they're going to reduce the number of papers they bring each day," said Wiggins. "After the election, we're expecting a drop in overall consumption. USA Today has a formula they use. It's spread out during the year based on what the first two weeks consumption has been. The goal is to have newspapers the entire year, so the amount they put out will adjust based on consumption."
The Collegiate Readership Program is a service provided by USA Today to provide free newspapers to students at universities across the country. Student Government has sponsored the UND program for the last 3 years and the Association of Residence Halls (ARH) for a couple years prior to that. In addition to USA Today, UND's program distributes the Grand Forks Herald and the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune.
According to USA Today's program website, "The goal of the Collegiate Readership Program is to enhance the learning environment on campus, by exposing students to the news in their living, learning, and community spaces. The program is designed to promote civic literacy and global awareness on campus through students' daily exposure to the news."
"Last year's presidential finance decided to reduce funding for the readership program so this year we're able to offer fewer newspapers," said UND Student Government Treasurer Sterling Wiggins.
Beyond the decrease in funding, the program is also facing some extra strain due to an increase in consumption of the papers. This is due to the fact that it's an election year, so students are more concerned with current events, but also that UND's overall enrollment has increased this year as well. While these are both positives in themselves, it poses a problem when there just aren't enough papers for everyone who wants one.
"The way the readership program works is that in order to spread the papers throughout the year, so we'll have papers every day, they're going to reduce the number of papers they bring each day," said Wiggins. "After the election, we're expecting a drop in overall consumption. USA Today has a formula they use. It's spread out during the year based on what the first two weeks consumption has been. The goal is to have newspapers the entire year, so the amount they put out will adjust based on consumption."
The Collegiate Readership Program is a service provided by USA Today to provide free newspapers to students at universities across the country. Student Government has sponsored the UND program for the last 3 years and the Association of Residence Halls (ARH) for a couple years prior to that. In addition to USA Today, UND's program distributes the Grand Forks Herald and the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune.
According to USA Today's program website, "The goal of the Collegiate Readership Program is to enhance the learning environment on campus, by exposing students to the news in their living, learning, and community spaces. The program is designed to promote civic literacy and global awareness on campus through students' daily exposure to the news."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jane Doe
posted 9/16/08 @ 10:15 PM CST
Perhaps if Student Government had better allocated their funds last year this would not be an issue. There was talk of the budget issue last year, yet no changes were made in the Student Government budget to fund the program. (Continued…)
James Baxter
posted 6/21/09 @ 3:39 PM CST
Wonder How Grahmam Spanier feels about USA Today College readership the program now?
Free-Newspaper.Program.Here.For.Semester.Maybe.Longer
Penn State newspaper hurt by program
Hall said USA Today's research shows the readership program has increased the readership of campus newspapers, not hurt the publications. (Continued…)
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