Conservatives sat, "I want my WSJ!"
Chris MacDonald '10
Issue date: 11/15/06 Section: News
The College Conservatives are launching a campaign to add The Wall Street Journal to Wheaton's daily buffet of free newspapers.
Wheaton began providing students with free copies of The Boston Globe and The New York Times in February 2000. Both newspapers are owned by the New York Times Company.
Then-President Dale Rogers Marshall said, "Students will get the advantage of two major newspapers to help keep them current on what's happening in our area, in our country and around the world."
Officials said then that the program, called News to You, would also provide opportunities for the school to bring the papers' reporters and columnists to campus, and also possible internships for Wheaton students.
According to the Office of Communications, however, no students have interned for either paper since the program started.
Now the Conservatives hope The Wall Street Journal will start appearing on the racks in Chase and Emerson dining halls, among other locations where newspapers are to be found.
"It's an idea we've been kicking around for a few years, and have finally taken steps to realize it," explained Tom Syverson '09 of the College Conservatives.
Syverson stressed that the action was not to supplant The Boston Globe or The New York Times for any reason other than to complement students' news intake with a different viewpoint - one that includes, along with solid reporting, a more conservative editorial page.
The push for The Wall Street Journal is part of an effort to promote both sides of the political debate on campus. "We're not knocking The Times," said Katie Scott '09, the Conservatives' secretary. "We give it out, it's nice, it's lying on the table, but the Wall Street Journal is renowned for its editorial page with more conservative opinions," she continued.
Some students feel that, given a choice, the Globe should be the one to go. "The Globe I've always found to be too local," said occasional Wire columnist Jonathan Wolinsky '10. "It's always been more local Boston-oriented, and I don't think we would lose much by changing it out."
But will administration permit such a modification? Possibly: "I'm sure the school would consider making changes to the newspaper readership program, including replacing or adding a newspaper to the mix," said Michael Graca, Director of Communications for Wheaton. "But any decision would have to be informed by student and faculty interest and a full consideration of the costs and benefits."
Communications could not confirm whether The Wall Street Journal has an institutional program that gives special rates to establishments ordering large subscriptions. The first step, said Graca, is to evaluate the system in its current form and consider the alternatives, such as The Journal.
"Even our liberal students will benefit from The Wall Street Journal, because its presence next to The New York Times will show that we are a fair, open-minded campus that encourages political diversity," said Syverson. "In addition, it well help our students of economics."
Wheaton began providing students with free copies of The Boston Globe and The New York Times in February 2000. Both newspapers are owned by the New York Times Company.
Then-President Dale Rogers Marshall said, "Students will get the advantage of two major newspapers to help keep them current on what's happening in our area, in our country and around the world."
Officials said then that the program, called News to You, would also provide opportunities for the school to bring the papers' reporters and columnists to campus, and also possible internships for Wheaton students.
According to the Office of Communications, however, no students have interned for either paper since the program started.
Now the Conservatives hope The Wall Street Journal will start appearing on the racks in Chase and Emerson dining halls, among other locations where newspapers are to be found.
"It's an idea we've been kicking around for a few years, and have finally taken steps to realize it," explained Tom Syverson '09 of the College Conservatives.
Syverson stressed that the action was not to supplant The Boston Globe or The New York Times for any reason other than to complement students' news intake with a different viewpoint - one that includes, along with solid reporting, a more conservative editorial page.
The push for The Wall Street Journal is part of an effort to promote both sides of the political debate on campus. "We're not knocking The Times," said Katie Scott '09, the Conservatives' secretary. "We give it out, it's nice, it's lying on the table, but the Wall Street Journal is renowned for its editorial page with more conservative opinions," she continued.
Some students feel that, given a choice, the Globe should be the one to go. "The Globe I've always found to be too local," said occasional Wire columnist Jonathan Wolinsky '10. "It's always been more local Boston-oriented, and I don't think we would lose much by changing it out."
But will administration permit such a modification? Possibly: "I'm sure the school would consider making changes to the newspaper readership program, including replacing or adding a newspaper to the mix," said Michael Graca, Director of Communications for Wheaton. "But any decision would have to be informed by student and faculty interest and a full consideration of the costs and benefits."
Communications could not confirm whether The Wall Street Journal has an institutional program that gives special rates to establishments ordering large subscriptions. The first step, said Graca, is to evaluate the system in its current form and consider the alternatives, such as The Journal.
"Even our liberal students will benefit from The Wall Street Journal, because its presence next to The New York Times will show that we are a fair, open-minded campus that encourages political diversity," said Syverson. "In addition, it well help our students of economics."
Be the first to comment on this story