Newspaper budget slashed
The Eagle will not have sufficient funds to print throughout the entire Spring 2023 semester.
On July 11, 2022, three Utah State University Eastern staff and eight USU Eastern student government leaders, met for the annual “Student Fee Allocation Meeting”. The three staff included Eric Curwen, Allie Chamberlain and Cameron West. The eight student government leaders were: Sofia Crompton, Brooklyn Ward, Myra Beecher, Tiara Otteson, Sailor Jensen, Kyler Minchey, Mollie Horsley, Mary Thayn and Collin Grant.
The 11 met to discuss the allocation of student fees, as six organizations/programs presented their proposed budgets for the 2022-2023 school year. The Eagle Newspaper, SUN Center, Theater Department, Recreation Center and Blue Bikes, Faculty Senate and EUSA Sponsored Events were the six organizations that presented to the 11-person committee.
Every proposed budget was voted on by the committee, and upon approval, was granted to the related organization. Every voted that was recorded included a unanimous vote.
The Eagle Newspaper proposed a budget of just under $8,000 for the 2022-2023 school year. This budget would be used for the printing of the newspaper. According to the document, the committee felt the budget would serve only the communication department.
The 11-person committee voted unanimously against the proposed newspaper budget, 11 votes no and zero votes yes. USUSA and the committee proposed a $6,500 counter budget for The Eagle, which was approved unanimously, again, 11 votes yes and zero votes no.
This cut of $1,500 may not seem like a big difference. This, however, is a major problem for the immediate future of The Eagle. With the absence of the $1,500, The Eagle will not have sufficient funds to print throughout the entire Spring 2023 semester.
With the inability to print, The Eagle loses its voice, a voice that has been around since 1937. Students join the newspaper to gain experience in a field that is already under scrutiny by modern social media. The 11-person committee, and USUSA are silencing the voice of the USU Eastern students, while EUSA received a unanimous approval for $95,000 this school year.
The Eagle includes a staff of 16 students, 16 students that will not be able to enjoy what they do because their funds were cut. SUN Center, who has a team of just six students received approval of a $14,700 budget. The Recreation Center and Blue Bikes received an approved budget of $30,000. The theater department presented just $5,000, which was approved unanimously.
Besides The Eagle budget being cut, the committee also cut the theatre department budget. All the student-run organization budgets were not cut, only the departmental budgets.
