Cambridge students’ union urged to rethink possible closure of award-winning newspaper

Closure could be 'wholly damaging to the university, union and students'

The University of Cambridge

Student journalists are lamenting the possible closure of an award-winning Cambridge newspaper which campaigners say could come as a blow to on-campus democracy.

Staff at The Cambridge Student (TCS) announced that Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) sent an unexpected email informing the team its board of trustees had proposed a radical “reduction in resource allocation” for the paper in its 2016/17 budget.

TCS says it was given just two days to respond to the email.

If the plans go ahead, TCS reports that its 17-year-old weekly print edition would come to an end, instead, refocusing the publication online.

In a last-ditch attempt to save the paper, TCS reports how its has asked the CUSU board of trustees - eight times - if it can defer the decision for a year, which would allow staff to reduce costs and increase revenue.

However, TCS reports the board says it is “mulling over” the decision and has been unable to provide a response as of yet.

The Student Publication Association (SPA) - the national body that represents student newspapers, magazines, and journalists across the UK - has now issued an appeal to the CUSU to “urgently rethink” proposals to cut TCS’s budget.

SPA chair, Jem Collins, took to Twitter to say she was “totally baffled” by the proposals, considering the profit TCS makes.

The SPA said that, according to the last available set of accounts, the newspaper has made a profit of £8,000.

In SPA’s appeal, Ms Collins said: “It may sound overblown, but student media really is vital to both university life and democracy, keeping students informed, and holding power to account.

“Print media is still of paramount importance on campus, and enables engagement in ways you can’t emulate online, and it’s important to safeguard this for future students.”

Ms Collins also announced the SPA will be working with TCS to help lobby against the proposals, which would be “wholly damaging to the university, union, and students.”

CUSU has yet to respond to the Independent’s request for comment.

The news has come in the same week the National Union of Students (NUS) voted to help support student media groups across the UK - particularly during officer elections - among concerns newspapers were being “controlled” by unions pre-publication.

Ms Collins hailed the passing of the motion at the NUS National Conference as being “a step in the right direction.”

Despite acknowledging the motion “isn’t the complete answer,” she told the Independent: “I’m delighted the NUS has decided to work with us to help give the student press the freedom they deserve.

“Student media can now finally expect the right to fairly report on their own elections, something they’ve been ludicrously denied for years at some institutions. We look forward to working with the NUS on this.”