Campus media outlet seeks student support

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StFX's official source for student news seeks support for online and multimedia development

On March 29, The Xaverian Weekly will be heading to referendum to seek an $8.50 student fee to independently finance StFX’s student-run media outlet. The funds will serve to secure the financial sustainability of the paper and will allow the XW to create more student opportunity, increase its involvement on campus, and pursue more innovative forms of story-telling such as video journalism, podcasts, beat reporting, and much more. 

Primarily, the levy would serve to double the number of paid XW staff from 17 to 35, and allow to XW to dedicate more resources to online and multimedia content and development. Given the XW’s recent transition to a more functional online platform, its organizational structure has not yet adapted to meet the needs of an expanding media industry. 

A student levy would also ensure that the XW would have the ability to offer a perspective that is more representative of the student body as a whole, with voices from all departments and backgrounds. 

The additional funds from the levy would be dedicated to an increased honorarium budget, hiring more students and paying volunteer writers, and to strengthening the XW's online and multimedia presence. The levy will help maintain the essential components of the XW's function, namely printing, honoraria, and web and union fees, while all other expenditures (equipment, promotions, etc.) would be contingent on advertising revenue. 

A successful referendum would align the XW's funding structure with the majority of Canadian student newspapers. Student levies, as opposed to direct funding by student associations, are considered a more sustainable and accountable business model for student press as it safeguards the integrity of the media outlet. 

This proposal is designed to facilitate that transition and to allow for future development and innovation. Free press is an essential part of a liberal arts institution, and we at the XW believe it is worth investing in. To find out more about how the levy would benefit the student body and create a stronger media outlet on campus, check out the full proposal here.

All students are eligible to vote for the XW levy. The referendum will take place on Wednesday, March 29 in conjunction with the elections for Grad Class Speaker and Senior Class President and Vice-President.  Polling stations will be set up and manned by the Students’ Union at various locations on campus and voting will also be available online at vote.theu.ca.