This policy is effective as of Dec. 5, 2016.
In the event of potential financial difficulties and loss of editorial control associated with Student Budget Committee funding, The Argus is pursuing alternative fundraising methods in case of a loss of funds. We will need your help in order to keep The Argus in print while maintaining total control of its content.
Additionally, we strive to pay as many of our hard-working staff members as possible, who put in their time and energy as they help The Argus produce content that is both accurate and relevant to the campus community. As of this moment, The Argus is only able to pay certain student workers on staff—specifically layout, copy, business, and ads positions—which is essential to ensuring that the newspaper remains factually and grammatically correct, visually appealing, readable, and efficient. However, we believe that more paid positions for both editors and writers is crucial in our effort to diversify, as it would allow a wider array of students to contribute to the paper who may be financially unable to invest their time in an unpaid endeavor.
The hiring process is based primarily on a combination of interest and involvement, and payment is necessary to ensure that workers treat their duty at The Argus as a job with mandatory attendance and late nights regardless of other commitments. Without the minimal payment that we have offered in past semesters, we can unequivocally say that The Argus would cease to exist as a quality publication.
Donations made out to The Argus may also go towards updating our office space and funding Argus-sponsored events, such as the Argus speaker series.
The Argus plays a critical role on Wesleyan’s campus and has since 1868, making it the nation’s oldest twice-weekly college newspaper. The Argus provides comprehensive, investigative news coverage; gives students a regular platform from which to voice opinions either through Letters to the Editor or the Opinion section; serves as an accurate historical record for campus happenings; offers students free advertising space for events; and follows a strict, frequent printing schedule.
The Argus is completely, and importantly, independent from the University—we receive no University funding, and Argus workers do not receive academic credit. The resulting product benefits every member of the campus community—in addition to our website, 500 copies of The Argus are published each Tuesday and Friday, available to students, prospective students, faculty, staff, and Middletown residents.
We need your help to ensure that The Argus can continue to be the reliable, high-quality newspaper that it has been since 1868. Thank you so much for your support!