Resolution to stop printing UT Arlington student paper still a work-in-progress

by Carolyn Brown of North Texas Daily

The University of Texas at Arlington’s Student Congress is continuing work on its resolution to stop printing the school’s paper, The Shorthorn.

The resolution, part of a series of environmentally-friendly initiatives at UT-Arlington, calls for The Shorthorn to move entirely online to save paper.

The resolution was submitted Sept. 1, but still has a long way to go before it can be passed. It is non-binding, and UT-Arlington President James Spaniolo ultimately decides if it will be implemented.

The congress’ community affairs committee is conducting research for the resolution, which is due for the congress’ Sept. 22 meeting.

The Shorthorn staff disagrees with the resolution, editor-in-chief Marissa Hall said.

“Our print readership is much higher than our online readership at this time,” Hall said. “It would be hard to reach our readers without a print product.”

The Shorthorn prints 8,000 paper copies four days a week, which reaches about 17,000 people each day.

Only about 1,500 people view the online version each day, Hall said. She will meet with the student congress committee later this month and thinks the meetings will go well, she said.

“I think the research will prove that this isn’t the right move for The Shorthorn at this time,” Hall said.

If the committee approves the resolution, it will move to the general body of congress for discussion on Sept. 29.

If the general congress passes it, it will then move on to the congress’ president Kent Long, Jeff Sorensen, the student affairs assistant vice president, and Frank Lamas, the student affairs vice president, before reaching UT-Arlington President Spaniolo.

All of them can make remarks about it, but only the committee or general body can kill it. Long will not make any decisions about the resolution until he sees the research, he said.

If Spaniolo chooses to use it, the earliest it could start would be the spring 2010 semester, Long said.

The Shorthorn earned about $460,000 from print ads and $11,000 from online ads for the 2008-2009 academic year, UT-Arlington Student Publications director Lloyd Goodman said.

He has not heard anything about the resolution from the paper’s advertisers yet, he said.

“Advertising agencies are still pushing their student advertising to print,” he said. “They still see that as the most economic way to reach the college community.”

UNT Student Government Association president Dakota Carter said the SGA has not considered a similar move to discontinue the Daily’s print edition.

“It’s never been discussed,” Carter said. “I don’t think it’s going to be discussed. We see the benefit of a print paper.”

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