UA to continue free N.Y. Times

Print journalism may be on the decline, but it's here to stay at Penn - at least for another semester.

In a much-debated vote, the Undergraduate Assembly recently decided to continue funding for its UA Readership Program, which brings 657 free copies of The New York Times to campus every weekday, approximately 95 percent of which are picked up.

The program was started earlier this year through a UA initiative. Its $21,000 price tag this semester was paid for by the UA, the Office of the Provost, the Division of the Vice Provost for University Life and the College House system.

The UA budget committee initially proposed completely cutting the program, but the general body later voted in an amendment that would allocate $12,400 from UA funds toward the program, an increase of $3,200 per semester.

"We've gotten a lot of e-mails saying this is a fantastic initiative and students saying that they've changed their schedules to read the Times while having breakfast every morning," College senior and UA chairman Jason Karsh said.

But not everyone agreed with the decision. Just under half of UA members objected to renewing funding for the program because its high cost benefits a limited number of students - similar to the body's rationale for attempting to cut funding for the wine tasting preceptorial.

Members also objected to paying for the print version.

"I think the reason we voted against this is a matter of principal," said UA treasurer and College senior Sunny Patel. "This is free online, and you can still read it every morning."

Overall, students have responded well to the program and are glad it will be continued.

"I think it's good to have both the DP and the Times," College freshman Tiffany Ortiz said. "The DP is focused more on campus news, and it's hard to stay on top of things going on outside of Penn."

At the same time, she said she thought the UA could decrease the number of papers offered due to its high cost and its availability online.

Others think there aren't enough copies to go around, like Wharton freshman Lily Avnet, who tries to pick up the paper on a regular basis but sometimes can't find a copy.

"When there's a paper in front of me it's just easier; you don't have to scroll around on the web site or log in or anything," Avnet said. She added that having the Times in paper form allows her to bring it with her to the gym.

"We're always juggling how to spend our funds, but this has the ability to affect students' lives in a tangible way," Karsh said. He called the program one of the UA's most visible contributions to student life.

He said that an extra benefit from the program will be a free speaker series of Times reporters. Elizabeth Bumiller, a front-page writer who has been covering the McCain campaign, is scheduled to speak at Penn in late April about media and politics.

The Provost's Office will provide at least $10,000 toward the program for next year; VPUL and the College House system have not committed any funds yet, Karsh added.

"The UA said this was one of their top priorities of the year, and we like to build collaborations that link up what students want," Rob Nelson, associate director of the Provost's Office, said.

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