Europe's largest student paper is to be closed down by its own university, the University of London, over financial concerns, despite the funding needed to keep the paper alive amounting to less than £3,000 per college.
The university voted to close the London Student, which reports on news concerning the 19 colleges making up the University of London (UoL).
According to the University of London Union (ULU), which has since been abolished by the university, the combined personal salaries of the vice chancellors who voted to shut the paper is around £4m.
The paper needs a £54,000 lump sum to keep it going, but VCs turned down the request for a one-year extension on the paper's finance, even though it would mean student journalists could source other funding for the future.
Oscar Webb, the current London Student editor, said: "London Student has been a necessary and valuable asset to the University for the past 60 years.. [but] the current management at UoL seem intent on selling-off this legacy."
The paper has been funded by the university since the 1950s.
Michael Chessum, who was president of the former ULU, said: "The University of London is engaged in an act of vandalism against organisations and activities that have taken students decades to build up. It costs peanuts to fund London Student, and it is profoundly sad that Vice Chancellors will not put forward funding for a vital source of community, news and scrutiny – but then of course, why would they?"
The final decision to shut the paper will be made by university trustees on 16 July.
The university voted to close the London Student, which reports on news concerning the 19 colleges making up the University of London (UoL).
According to the University of London Union (ULU), which has since been abolished by the university, the combined personal salaries of the vice chancellors who voted to shut the paper is around £4m.
Genuinely perplexed by @UoLondon's decision to shut @LondonStudent. How can removing valuable student opportunities be a logical step?
— Eleanor Doughty (@brushingboots) July 8, 2014The paper needs a £54,000 lump sum to keep it going, but VCs turned down the request for a one-year extension on the paper's finance, even though it would mean student journalists could source other funding for the future.
Oscar Webb, the current London Student editor, said: "London Student has been a necessary and valuable asset to the University for the past 60 years.. [but] the current management at UoL seem intent on selling-off this legacy."
The @UoLondon confirmed that is closing its nearly 100 year old student publication at the end of July. We continue to oppose this... [1/2]
— London Student (@LondonStudent) July 8, 2014... and will be writing an open letter to the university. If you wish to sign it, please email editor@london-student.net [2/2]
— London Student (@LondonStudent) July 8, 2014The paper has been funded by the university since the 1950s.
Michael Chessum, who was president of the former ULU, said: "The University of London is engaged in an act of vandalism against organisations and activities that have taken students decades to build up. It costs peanuts to fund London Student, and it is profoundly sad that Vice Chancellors will not put forward funding for a vital source of community, news and scrutiny – but then of course, why would they?"
The final decision to shut the paper will be made by university trustees on 16 July.