The Student Government Association is sponsoring a four-week pilot program that provides three free newspapers for students in five locations on the campus.
The program began Monday and ends March 18. Students can pick up USA Today, The New York Times and The [Baltimore] Sun for free as part of USA Today’s Collegiate Readership Program. The newspapers are available in the McKeldin Library lobby, near the Maryland Food Co-op in the Stamp Student Union, Tydings Hall, Van Munching Hall, the foyer of the Mathematics Building and the North Campus Snack ‘n’ Shop.
“We just hope the students really take advantage and take an interest in the news,” said Meghan Pennington, SGA vice president of academic affairs.
The SGA hopes the pilot program will become permanent, depending on the feedback it collects. If the program does become permanent, the university will get the newspapers at a discounted price and offer them to students for free.
The money may come out of the student activities fee, and the SGA will also approach university departments to sponsor the program.
“We’re very excited for this opportunity,” said SGA President Aaron Kraus. “It’s extremely important for us to be aware of the news beyond our campus news. Readership of newspapers are down, especially in our age bracket.”
The Collegiate Readership Program began in 1997 at Penn State University as a way to encourage students to read daily newspapers. Penn State has become a model for campuses nationwide by providing newspapers for all students living in dorms.
If the program does become permanent, there will be card-reader machines that allow only students to access the papers, said Lauren Breedlove, SGA vice president of public relations.
The SGA tried to get The Washington Post instead of The [Baltimore] Sun, but the Post declined, saying its readership on the campus is already high, Breedlove said.
