Campus publications attempting to maximize funding

A group of 10 student government officials and editors of student fee-supported publications met Wednesday to discuss two proposals that could maximize how much money they get from Student Congress.

Tim Nichols, Congress' speaker pro tem, said the forum's goal was to start studying the feasibility of using the same printer for all, or at least a large number, of these publications.

"We want to do this to save money and at the same time provide more money for the publications themselves," he said.

Campus publications are awarded about $80,000 to $90,000 a year from student fees, Nichols said.

"We've actually cut a tremendous amount of cash from campus publications."

In the last year, Congress has had to reduce funding because of budget reductions. In other occasions, publications were punished for being wasteful by diminishing their budget.

Some of the publications that would be affected by the possible changes include Blue & White Magazine, Bounce Magazine and the Carolina Review.

Pedro Carreno, chairman of the Congress finance committee, said that if the publication committee decides to go ahead, members will present bids to different printers to see who provides the best price.

A printer might be willing to give discounted rates if a large number of publications choose to use its services.

The committee also is looking to see if forming a student publication alliance would be helpful.

The alliance would receive a fixed percentage of the student fee, as Student Television and WXYC do, and would distribute it to all the publications.

Publications would no longer have to go in front of Congress to get their funds appropriated.

But Nichols said he still wants Congress to oversee the group.

The editors would serve on a board in charge of the alliance, and Nichols wants some members of Congress on that committee.

Those who attended the forum voiced their concerns and ideas as to how the changes could help their publications.

"I just want to make sure that it doesn't compromise the quality of our publication," said Juliann Neher, managing editor of The Hill, a nonpartisan political magazine.

Nichols made a similar point.

"We have to make sure we allow for the individuality of each of the publications," he said.

He added that leaders will keep in touch with the different publications to make sure that everyone has their needs met and knows what is happening during the process.

Carreno said that if any of the proposals take effect it will not occur until the 2009-10 school year.

The Daily Tar Heel is not affected because it does not receive University funding. Its funding comes from advertising revenue.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.