Student journalists keep college students informed. Unfortunately, universities are distancing themselves from student newspapers, exacerbating the challenges young people face in finding trustworthy information.
Purdue University recently informed its independent student newspaper, The Purdue Exponent, that the university would no longer assist in distributing print copies of the paper. Purdue also informed the Exponent it no longer wants the Purdue name to be commercially associated with the paper and that Exponent staff can no longer purchase parking passes on campus.
Quint Holguin, a rising sophomore at Purdue who is part of the Exponent’s summer staff, said the announcement came as a surprise.
“It was really shocking and honestly disheartening a little bit to see a relationship built up with Purdue kind of just go away like that,” Holguin said. “We've been with Purdue for so long, and we've established this relationship, and for them to just kind of pull the rug out from underneath us, it's disheartening.”
Purdue cited an expired contract from 2014 in explaining the suspended distribution. But the contract had never been an issue in the past. For 11 years, the Exponent and the university had an unofficial agreement and Purdue continued to distribute papers.
“From my understanding, Purdue really just wanted to step away from the Exponent in its entirety,” Holguin said. “And that meant kind of clearing out some of the smaller things that we have ties with the university, like the parking passes.”
These challenges extend beyond West Lafayette — to the detriment of students. While university-authored press statements and emails can provide useful information, these newspapers provide a student-focused perspective.
Indiana University’s student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student, has reduced its print distribution from weekly to a few times a month while struggling to navigate a changing relationship with the school.
Last year, the IDS found out from a leaked document that it would be part of a financial merger that included IU student television and WIUX. As part of the new arrangement, the IDS' weekly print distribution was reduced.
This year, the IDS applied for funding from mandatory student fees through the university's standard review process. The student-run Committee for Fee Review unanimously approved the proposal, but Provost Rahul Shrivastav rejected it — apparently the first time a provost had overruled the student committee's decision.
The rejection came amid the IDS's financial struggles, including nearly $1 million in debt that the university eventually cleared. Despite being editorially independent, the newspaper had sought the student fee funding to help keep operations running smoothly. The IDS's print newspapers are profitable when distributed, making the recent cuts even more distressing.
While student newspapers can be accessed digitally, print distribution setbacks undermine student journalism.
“Having physical media, especially in journalism, is crucial,” IDS editor-in-chief Jonathan Frey said. “We are the first draft of history, and having something in print, having pen on paper, having something that cannot be changed once it's put out, that is crucial ... If anyone's curious about the history of IU, they'll look back at us in 70 years and having physical copies of things that have not been altered, that have not been changed, that is the truest reflection of what it's like here.”
Universities should not isolate newspapers that provide students with forums to share their perspectives while learning the necessary skills for a career in journalism.
I never studied journalism in college. It was through my experiences at the Butler Collegian that I developed any journalism-related skills that I possess today. Without student journalism, I wouldn’t be writing this column.
Student journalism gave me an outlet and a voice, and all students deserve to have that opportunity.
By Sadia Khatri, Indianapolis Star,