Duke Student Government canceled its newspaper readership program in its first meeting of the academic year Wednesday.
The program, which costs $20,000 per year and has been available since the early 2000s, provides students free access to USA Today, the New York Times and the Durham Herald-Sun newspapers, in addition to New York Times online content. Based on the number of times students swiped in to access newspapers via card-activated machines and the number of papers left on stands around campus, it was estimated that students take approximately 260 papers per day.
“Ultimately, we concluded that students would prefer their activity fees to be more wisely allocated,” said senior JP Lucaci, vice president of services, who introduced the statute with junior Tara Bansal, vice president of academic affairs, and Policy Advisor Michael Pelle, a senior. “The benefits of the program simply did not justify the costs.”
Bansal, Lucaci and Pelle cited the fact that all New York Times articles are available to Duke students through a library database called LexisNexis, and that many alternative news sources are available for free on the internet, including both USA Today and the Durham Herald-Sun.
Opponents of the statute, however, explained that many classes require students to have access to the paper for discussion and research. Supporters responded by arguing that Duke does not supply free textbooks and other class resources, so it should not be obligated to provide a free newspaper as well.
Bansal, Lucaci and Pelle also explained that the service will expire 30 days after cancellation, giving DSG time to negotiate a new, more cost-effective readership program to replace it.
The statute passed with 13 senators in favor and six opposing.
In other business:
SOFC approved two group funding requests—the Marine Science and Conservation Leaders received $1,500 for a public trip to the Duke Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, N.C., and the Duke Symphony Orchestra received $1,260 to hold a public concert.
The Senate elected Senator of Academic Affairs Brian Hopkins, a senior, as president pro tempore. He will assume control of the Senate when Executive Vice President John Guarco, a junior, is introducing and defending legislation.
DSG allocated $2,000 from the surplus fund to cover DSG legal costs for the 2015-16 school year. The statute was introduced by Guarco.
Finally, DSG passed a statute establishing the rules and timeline for fall first-year senator elections. Information sessions will be held Aug. 29 and 30, candidates’ petitions are due Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. and elections will be held Sept. 10.
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