Metropolitan State University participates in Collegiate Readership Program

--Andrea Jackley

Metropolitan State University’s student senate agreed to participate in a two-week trial period of news giant USA Today’s Collegiate Readership Program, which will provide and distribute several newspapers to most of Metropolitan State’s major campuses to be available to students free of charge. The program is designed to encourage newspaper readership among college students.

The program’s goal is to "enhance the learning environment on campus, by exposing students to the news in their living, learning, and community spaces. The program is designed to promote civic literacy and global awareness on campus through students’ daily exposure to the news," according to USA Today’s Collegiate Reader Web site, http://www.usatoday.com/educate/readers/home.htm.

Through the program, the participating university’s student senate chooses the most appropriate and relevant newspapers for the student body; in addition to, of course, USA Today.

Beginning in September 17, both the St. Paul Pioneer Press and USA Today will be available Mon. through Fri. on racks in St. John’s Hall, by the library and skyway entrances, at the midway campus and near Blink Bonnie café. The Minneapolis shared campus with MCTC will be excluded, as the service is to be available to Metropolitan State students only.

The program will be free to the University during a two-week trial period. The pilot is scheduled to continue through September 28, at which time Metropolitan State will determine whether or not the service should be continued.

At this time, USA Today Education Account Manager John Fidler will present the student senate with survey findings, "tabulated by a third party for ethical purposes," said Fidler. The information gathered will include how many papers were successfully distributed to students, the estimated cost of the program and how many students support their fees going toward the service.

The program’s cost is variable and is determined by a "pay on consumption" scale, according to Fidler. "In addition, the participating newspapers pride themselves on being ‘green’ companies, and we will absolutely work with facilities management to make sure that all unread copies are recycled."

"Last year we piloted at five schools," said Fidler. "Ninety-five percent of the student bodies said they were comfortable with at least $4 to $7 of their student fees going toward this program, and all five pilots turned into full campus-wide programs."

Other Minnesota colleges currently participating in the program include: University of Minnesota, Augsburg, St. Kate’s, St. Cloud State and Winona State among others.