The New York Times Goes Missing

By Paola Guzman
Assistant News Editor

The New York Times has not been available on the news racks on campus this semester. Copies of the newspaper had during previous school years been provided to students, free of charge, for use in their classes.

The New York Times newsstands in the library, Hillwood Commons, Pell Hall, and Humanities are still there, but the newspapers are not. The New York Times had been available to the students from Monday to Friday during the fall and spring semesters.

In the film Ghostbusters, character Egon Spengler famously said, “print is dead.” Yet, professors including Arlene Pelota, professor of public relations, and Barbara Fowles, department chair and professor of communications and film, use the print version of the New York Times in their classes.

“The availability of hard copies of the New York Times is a necessity for many of the classes in our department,” Fowles said. “I am in discussions with Michael Berthel, [dean of students], who is trying to work out an arrangement with the Times. We may not be able to have the paper available campus wide, but our goal is to have sufficient copies available in Humanities for all the students in communications and film who need it. We should have this resolved this week,” Fowles said.

Michael Berthel, dean of students, did not respond to the Pioneer’s inquiries.

On Sept.13, the bookstore sent out an email with a promotional offer for a New York Times subscription for students. Under this student subscription, students would receive basic digital access to the New York Times website, app and the complete New York Times archive from 1851. The offer will be free for four weeks and will then cost $1 weekly, a $52 annual cost. There is also the basic digital access features package that includes crossword puzzles for four weeks free and then $1.50 weekly. Finally, the offer included the basic digital access features plus a home delivery package that can be customized based on the days students want it delivered to them. This package also includes the Times insider access for “behind-the-scenes stories, photos and videos from journalists in the field and inside the newsroom” and other benefits.

The Student Government Association (SGA) usually takes part in the decision of budget cuts to student services, such as the newspaper delivery on campus. However, SGA President, Giovanna Domingo did not respond to the Pioneer’s inquiries.