Southwest Texas State University's student newspaper, The Daily University Star, was forced to decrease publication from four days a week to three due to a loss in advertising revenue and a history of debt dating back to the late 1980s.
Sarah Evans, editor in chief of the Star, said the paper was forced to petition for $100,000 in additional funds last spring from the Student Services Fee Committee. The committee, which recommends the annual allocation of student service fees, helped by granting $22,200 to upgrade computers and increased the permanent budget by $8,000.
In the late 1990s, the administration forgave half of the paper's $200,000 debt. But the increased funding and debt exoneration were not enough to prevent the cutback, Evans said.
"We feel like we're up against a brick wall here. It's been really hard among editors to keep a good morale. We're not going to let the paper suffer, though," Evans said.
The Star's budget operates roughly the same as that of The Daily Texan. About 90 percent of the paper's revenue comes from advertising sales, while student fees cover the remaining 10 percent of the operating budget.
Kathy Lawrence, director of Texas Student Publications, said that although the Texan is not immune to the same situation, it is unlikely to be affected.
If such a situation were to arise, she hoped the Texan would seek other sources of funding before resorting to a cutback in production.
College newspapers help students understand the media, their rights in a democracy and provide a pre--professional experience for those working at student publications, Lawrence added.
The administration at SWT has invited the Star editorial staff to discuss the issues and to re-examine the situation, said John Garrison, SWT Dean of Students. Evans said she is not sure what to expect from the meeting.
The SWT student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is launching a campaign to advertise the plight of the paper until a resolution is reached, said Fred Blevens, SPJ faculty advisor. SPJ officials plan to ask newspapers and other related organizations to place ads in the Star that feature information on the dangers of a limited press.
"Anything that restricts the free flow of information, the students will be less informed. Students can't produce stories to bring issues out on the table. It is restricting the public discourse. I don't believe students on campus are even aware that this is happening," Blevens said.
Evans said she hopes to have larger Texas newspapers publicly support the Star's efforts to return to a four-day-a-week newspaper.
"It's good to have outside help to have more intense awareness," Evans said. "If major metropolitan newspapers are standing behind us, that can really have an impact."
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