"We evaluate and reevaluate (programs) each year, to see if we can make them more efficient," he said.
Osborne said SASS is considering eliminating the newspaper program to stave off budget cuts for other initiatives given that only 20 percent of students pick up free copies of the papers each day.
But officials at The Times and USA Today urged GW not to cut the newspaper program, adding that they could reduce the cost of providing free newspapers by distributing fewer copies per day or decreasing the number of locations where students can pick up papers.
"There's all different ways you can scale a program back," said Kevin Cappallo, who runs The Times' collegiate program.
Beth Burke, a senior account manager at USA Today, also expressed a willingness to find ways to keep GW's newspaper program.
"We're able to talk about funding concerns and ... come up with continuation," she said.
Cappallo said more than 200 universities contract with The Times to operate newspaper programs similar to GW's and that almost all schools have continued to provide free newspapers despite a tight economy. While the recent downturn in financial markets has forced several colleges to reduce funding for the program, student governments have partially funded the programs, he said.
"The reality is," Cappallo said, "these types of programs have grown dramatically in recent years."
Osborne said SASS is considering eliminating the newspaper program to stave off budget cuts for other initiatives given that only 20 percent of students pick up free copies of the papers each day.
But officials at The Times and USA Today urged GW not to cut the newspaper program, adding that they could reduce the cost of providing free newspapers by distributing fewer copies per day or decreasing the number of locations where students can pick up papers.
"There's all different ways you can scale a program back," said Kevin Cappallo, who runs The Times' collegiate program.
Beth Burke, a senior account manager at USA Today, also expressed a willingness to find ways to keep GW's newspaper program.
"We're able to talk about funding concerns and ... come up with continuation," she said.
Cappallo said more than 200 universities contract with The Times to operate newspaper programs similar to GW's and that almost all schools have continued to provide free newspapers despite a tight economy. While the recent downturn in financial markets has forced several colleges to reduce funding for the program, student governments have partially funded the programs, he said.
"The reality is," Cappallo said, "these types of programs have grown dramatically in recent years."
