In 2012, two university offices cancelled subscriptions to The New York Times readership program.
The program, which is used in colleges nation-wide, allowed Residential Life and Student Activities to pay a flat rate for students to pick up free copies of the newspaper in the Student Center.
Two years later, the program remains extinct.
Chris Carey, associate director of Student Activities, told The Temple News he feared the papers were being utilized mainly by faculty.
In addition, many feel that the printed word has become obsolete.
It’s true that many people obtain the news online, but believing newspapers to be frivolous is a toxic attitude – especially when it affects college students.
As a major publication, The New York Times does not offer all of its material for free online.
Having physical copies readily available for free encouraged students who may not normally read news to pick up a copy – and The New York Times remains more reliable than a simple Google search about important world events.
The Temple News, although it’s only published weekly, is available in print free of charge in kiosks around Main Campus. We’re proud to offer high-quality news material to students who deserve it, and we don’t think printed newspapers need to be obsolete. Often, our staff will hand the papers out to students and faculty.
Most students are not financially well-off enough to afford expensive subscriptions, but that does not mean they deserve to feel out-of-the-loop.
We hope offices on Main Campus will reconsider a decision that may be preventing students from being well-informed.
Actions like this may well keep the printed word from becoming obsolete.
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