THE ARGUS NEEDS YOUR HELP!
In light of conversations surrounding a controversial op-ed that appeared in The Argus in September, the WSA passed a resolution to restructure the funding of student publications at Wesleyan. The proposal being used as a model would mean a $17,000 cut from The Argus’ $30,000 (already decreasing to $26,000) annual printing budget in the fall of 2016. This decrease that would prevent us from printing twice a week, as The Argus has for decades. The WSA’s interference with The Argus’ ability to print and use of Student Budget Committee funding also puts our editorial independence at stake. In the face of unexpected financial difficulties and loss of editorial control, The Argus is pursuing alternative fundraising methods. We will need your help in order to keep The Argus in print while maintaining total control of its content.
Additionally, payment for student workers, specifically layout staff, business manager, and ads manager, is essential to ensuring that the newspaper remains factually and grammatically correct, visually appealing, readable, and efficient. The hiring process is based on merit, and payment is necessary to ensure that workers treat their duty at The Argus as a job with mandatory attendance and late nights regardless of other commitments. Without the minimal payment that we have offered in past semesters, we can unequivocally say that The Argus would cease to exist as a quality publication.
The Argus plays a critical role on Wesleyan’s campus and has since 1868, making it the nation’s oldest twice-weekly college newspaper. The Argus provides comprehensive, investigative news coverage; gives students a regular platform from which to voice opinions either through Letters to the Editor or the Opinion section; serves as an accurate historical record for campus happenings; offers students free advertising space for events; and follows a strict, frequent printing schedule.
The Argus is completely, and importantly, independent from the University—we receive no University funding, and Argus workers do not receive academic credit. The resulting product benefits every member of the campus community—in addition to our website, 700 copies of The Argus are published each Tuesday and Friday, available to students, prospective students, faculty, staff, and Middletown residents.
We need your help to ensure that The Argus can continue to be the reliable, high-quality newspaper that it has been since 1868. Thank you so much for your support!