Student Publications will continue printing the student newspaper after administrators considered eliminating it earlier this year.
The Campus newspaper has published at OCU since 1907.
Dr. Amy Cataldi, dean of the Petree College of Arts and Sciences, said at the time the possibility of cutting the newspaper came from looking at other universities and comparing programs.
Beth Adele, director of mass communications, said when she started working at OCU, she found the Student Publications budget had not changed since the previous year. Adele said she has been in communication with Ben Felder, Student Publications advisor, Cataldi and Dr. Helen Gaudin, associate dean of the Petree College of Arts and Sciences, about the future of Student Publications.
“Everyone feels that it is healthy to have Student Publications on campus.” she said. “We have great aspirations of Student Publications evolving, just like newspapers worldwide, to make sure that the students involved, as well as the readers, are best prepared for the industry and being good consumers of journalism.”
Adele said she has not been told if the printing publication will change after this academic year.
“If any adjustments come about, it’s going to be from the editorial board themselves,” she said.
Adele said she is hosting a communications council meeting on Oct. 11 to meet with alumni and local industry professionals to discuss mass communications curriculum and practical experience.
“We are going to let that lead us into where we want to go next,” she said.
Adele said officials will investigate furthering online publication methods and digital marketing.
Having Felder, an industry professional, as an advisor is great leadership for Student Publications, Adele said.
“I think it’s wonderful that we have a writer and editor of The Oklahoman making himself available and taking the advisement of Student Publications very seriously,” she said.
At the end of the last academic year, five former mass communications faculty members left the university. Adele said, although most of the faculty are new this year, the transition has been a positive experience.
“The professors who left our department set this department up very well for me to be able to find information and continue on all the policies and procedures that are expected of the department,” she said.
The new mass communications faculty include the following adjunct professors: Ben Felder, Moose Taylor, Chris Hudson, and Taylor Bollinger.
Adele said she is excited for the future of Student Publications.
“I’m happy that we are able to assuage the anxiety that may have been felt waiting to hear what might be happening next,” she said.
Corinne Prudente, acting senior, said having a physical paper is convenient for students.
“I personally really like being able to pick up a physical newspaper,” she said. “It’s a good reminder to keep up to date with OCU news.”
Prudente said the newspaper is more personal for students who are featured in it.
“It’s also nice to have an actual copy to be able to clip articles out of when they involve the accomplishments of myself or my friends,” she said.
Trae Trousdale, Student Government Association president and mass communications/political science junior, said the printed newspaper is a great opportunity for students to know what is going on around campus.
“The physical paper is a little bit different in that it gives us something to look forward to,” he said. “It’s something physical and tangible to walk away with, to share with friends. We use them all the time in the SGA office, so I think it’s just better to have that option.”
Working on a student newspaper is a great educational tool for students, Trousdale said.
“If you take away the physical paper, you lose a little bit of the skills that you’re walking away with,” he said. “Knowing how to edit a paper, knowing how to format what’s going to be printed, I think that’s invaluable.”
There is a difference in news that is produced in a weekly publication versus a constant online update, Trousdale said.
“I think that the once-a-week allows for a little bit more of development in stories,” he said.
Student Publications is SGA’s accountability, Trousdale said.
“We don’t answer to administration,” he said. “But we have to answer to the student body. That’s the only way that we are able to do it.”
Trousdale said Student Publications is an important, long-term investment for the university.
“It’s irresponsible to look shortsightedly at a budget and say that Student Publications is something that could give,” he said. “While it may not always be in the university’s best interest to support Student Publications, I believe it’s a necessity for them to have that on-campus way to directly communicate with students.”
Trousdale said in the future, he would love to see more student highlights.
“Things like that I use as sort of my, ‘this is why we do it. This is why we’re here and why we stay in the SGA office until 2 a.m.,’” he said. “It’s students who aren’t highlighted during speeches; they’re just people we all know that you guys are taking a second to shine a light on and say, ‘this is what makes up our campus.’”
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