Intersection

Could cutbacks and indifference doom UNLV’s newspaper?

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This 2013 file photo shows an issue of The Rebel Yell, UNLV’s student newspaper.
Las Vegas Sun

A slash in funding for UNLV’s student newspaper means The Rebel Yell could cease to exist by next semester. It received nearly $100,000 in funding per semester from the Student Affairs Department over the past four years, but was only allocated about $30,000 for the current semester. The Weekly went on campus to check in with UNLV students about the paper’s uncertain future—and reactions were mixed.

“It gives a fresh perspective, especially on events that are happening,” said mechanical engineering major Kyle McCall, who reads The Rebel Yell occasionally. “I think it would definitely hurt us as a community if it were to go away.” Another mechanical engineering major, Kyle Randall, said he doesn’t read the paper, but that it’s still beneficial to students—well, some of them. “I would imagine that it would be very important to journalism majors or people who write in the newspaper.”

Meanwhile, some students didn’t know about the funding cuts, or where to even find The Rebel Yell on campus. One student said she would be more likely to read it in an online newsletter format. “I think if more people read it, it would be more of an issue,” said hospitality major Megan Wilson. “But I don’t think that many people read it. I’ve walked around, and I haven’t seen that many people have it in their hands.” Criminal Justice major Kaitlyn Matsuda added, “I think it’s important, but I think you can do that in a school email. I think I’d rather have some other way of getting information, through email or a website, because it’s more convenient. Not everyone picks up a paper.”

The Rebel Yell launched a GoFundMe account on November 6. At publication time, it had raised just $1,670 of its $30,000 goal.

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