 "Photo: New York Times, from frontpages.tumblr.com")
After presenting and reviewing data and the results of multiple surveys, the Student Government Associated voted Feb. 18 in favor of a motion to replace the Boston Globe on campus by increasing the number of New York Times.
The Times seemed to be the most popular choice among students who were asked which paper they wanted to see on campus, and there had been previous complaints from students about the small amount of Times available in the mornings, argued SGA senators.
Before the winter break, the SGA cancelled Suffolk's subscription to the Globe, in response to negative articles published about Suffolk University.
In the months since, SGA has been trying to find a replacement for the Globe. When the university opened for the spring semester, the group got to work on finding out whether they should replace or bring back the Globe.
During the last week of January, SGA sent out a mass e-mail to all 5,750 Suffolk students with a small poll. The students were asked to choose between the Boston Herald and USA Today. These two newspapers were ones that had expressed the most interest in making Suffolk a subscriber. Students also had the option of suggesting any other newspapers they might want to see on campus.
Only 89 students replied to the poll, with the Herald and USA Today fetching 33 and 38 votes, respectively. Other newspapers were suggested, like the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times and 9 people requested to bring the Globe back.
At a meeting to discuss the results of the poll, SGA decided that since student feedback was so low, they needed more input. SGA member Rob Stanton did a personal survey, asking 64 students two questions: if they read the newspaper and which paper they would like to see on campus.
According to Stanton, two students failed to answer one question, so they were not counted. Out of the 62 counted students, 29 never read the newspaper. Out of the 33 students who read the newspaper, only seven read it 4 or more times a week. When asked about the preferred newspaper, 26 replied they would like to see the Boston Herald, followed by 22 students requesting more New York Times.
A poll was also placed on a blog on the Suffolk Voice, which members of SGA forwarded to their Facebook groups to encourage participation. The poll got 123 responses, 53 of these being for more New York Times, followed by the Boston Herald with 41 votes.
SGA members applauded and expressed relief of finally putting the issue behind them.
"I am glad we made this decision," said Martha Alvarado, Senator of 2013, "A lot of students felt that the Boston Herald and the USA Today were not proper replacements for the Globe. This is much more beneficial for the students."
But one Suffolk student expressed concerns that eliminating all local papers could hurt Suffolk in the long run.
"The New York Times is a good paper" commented one Suffolk communications major on SGA's decision, "but it doesn't offer as good of a local perspective as the Boston Globe did."
For now, the amount of New York Times available on campus is expected to double.
"We should be getting them within the next two weeks," said SGA treasurer Mitch Vieira.
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11 comments Log in to Comment
Give variety,
Show the student body why voting for us has some sort of face value!
We are here for them, and frankly I will speak for myself, I have failed them!
I will try better next time I guess.......Thank you.
I believe that 98% of the decisions that SGA makes are mistakes, let's get real.
The problem more or less was this: SGA offered an option for people when they ordered the Globe AND the Times.... I feel bad for students like Lou Rocco. What Lou lost wasn't simply a free newspaper, but a student-run program with the intentions of pleasing all the students. Lou and MANY other students like Lou Rocco were being facilitated a program run by their peers!!! and now it has been taken away... How inconsiderate of the board!!!What we had here anyway was a hurried resolution that did not get to the root of the issue. I didn't realize till after the meeting what a grave error the board made on this vote. First of all, President Brian LeFort made a terrible error in not following procedure, because everyone knows that after a motion to vote on something has been passed and seconded, THE CHAIR MUST ACKNOWLEDGE A DISCUSSION!!!! For whatever reason, Brian made this enormous error in not recognizing a discussion that should have been held at that time.What I can conclude about the SGA's newspaper resolution is one that is typical at best..... It was rigid, harsh, and not open to compromising. And it showed from Mitch Vieira's cold and harsh treatment, he gave us "The Business" that day.... And thats typical from a Student Leader who holds himself to higher standards and forgets that in the end, we are all students that are on the same team!!!!Karl I must say now MORE THAN EVER.. I smell your BS man..... You really supported the Herald??? Well thats a great talking point for a Republican, so I get why you were so inclined to write that... But the fact of the matter is this pal:
I was the only person on that board that voted "NO" on upping the NYTIMES!! If you really cared so strongly about bringing he Herald to Suffolk, You wouldn't have been herded by biased surveys that are not properly executed..Whats funny is that all four people that commented before me have basically said that they disagree with the Senate's decision, but at the same time these are all individuals who could have been voicing this same opinion along side myself WHEN IT MATTERED MOST!!!! Great job SGA... You have once again gave more gasoline to our critics.... Now let it burn.....
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