Funding maintained for Univ. of Kansas student newspaper
April 8, 2010
KANSAS -- The Student Senate at the University of Kansas voted
Wednesday night to maintain the portion of the student fee that goes toward
funding the school's student newspaper, The University Daily
Kansan.
The paper will continue to receive the same amount of funding, said
Kansan Editor Stephen Montemayor, but the category the fee comes from
will change. The fee used to be grouped with other student media, but will now
fall under the umbrella of the Newspaper Readership Program, which makes
professional newspapers available on campus.
"At the end of the day it made a little bit more sense to call it
what it is: a subscription fee," Montemayor said.
The Student Senate first proposed cutting the student funding of the
Kansan because members thought it was
inappropriate to fund a news outlet
that covers the Senate.
It would have been preferable to keep the newspaper's funding with
the other student media, Montemayor said, because of the protection that offers.
However, it was negotiated that even if the readership program were ever to be
cut, the Kansan would still get its funding.
"There are steps in place to ensure that we're not going to be
cut off entirely," Montemayor said.
In a meeting with Student Body President Mason Heilman last week,
Montemayor said he told Heilman the paper would continue to provide fair
coverage of the Student Senate with no grudges held.
After weeks of uncertainty, Montemayor said the paper's staff is
happy to have this issue resolved.
"It's really nice to put it to bed and hopefully we can move
forward...put our best foot forward, be professional and most of all be adult
about this," he said.
By Katie Maloney, SPLC staff writer
© 2010 Student Press Law Center
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