Camden County College has put a hold on its school paper this semester, which is causing students to be poorly networked, students said in interviews. The situation makes it difficult to stay updated on CCC student activities and events. The school paper, known as the Campus Press, is an important feature at CCC.
The CCC website on student life and activities says that the Campus Press “is designed to inform the College community about the news, events and changes at the Blackwood and Camden Campuses and at the Rohrer Center.”
CCC students are noticing a difference without this centralized source of campus information. The availability of the Campus Press seems that it would make students more interested in CCC, students said.
“Schools with a paper give you more information about what’s going on, such as sports events,” said CCC sophomore and medical lab technician major Adam Wilson. “At a school without a paper, you only find things out by word-of-mouth.”
Nick Maista is a CCC senior and a business administration major, who has also noticed the changes without a paper.
“There’s a difference as far as the social network with the clubs, and the school election,” he said.
The CCC student networking problem will not continue. Efforts are being made to bring the Campus Press back soon.
“We’re in the process of interviewing for an advisor,” said Assistant to the Dean of Students Jacqueline Tenuto. “We hope to have it up and running for the spring semester in January.”
The next step after reviving the Campus Press is deciding on the material to be in the articles.
The CCC website on student life and activities says, “Its features cover the entire spectrum of student activities and interests.”
A campus paper usually requires writing for an age group mostly of late teenage years to mid twenties. This includes both pertaining to the students’ interests, and writing with competence as well.
“Demographics drive the stories,” said CCC Dean of Students Services James Canonica. “Play to their requests.”
So what articles would CCC students like to read about?
“Sports events, both local and school,” said Wilson. “School activities such as charities and bus trips would be great, too.”
“Articles relative to more major related topics and transfer opportunities,” said Maista. “Personalized stories of students who left and went through the process would be helpful.”
Many CCC students have their own personalized stories and advice to give. Coordinating this information would be vital aspects to the Campus Press.
“Original student to student information is what we want,” said Canonica.
An important feature of CCC news would be the sports. Many CCC students believe that they are misinformed about when their teams play.
“Last year we published a schedule,” said Tenuto. “They put in the wrong schedule.”
“A schedule would help because then people would come see the teams play,” said Wilson.
Another CCC student interest would be columns on advice for sex and relationships.
“I’d read mostly the relationship advice,” said Wilson. “It’d be funny to read, too.”
Students would also be encouraged to share each others’ life lessons and mistakes.
“That’s more true life than any curricular lesson,” said Maista.
A big advantage with having the Campus Press is the ability for students and faculty to express their opinions of the CCC campuses.
“We’d like their feedback,” said Tenuto. “I’d like to have the students’ voices be head.”
The Campus Press would help encourage student interests in CCC sports, activities, and events, students and officials agree. The CCC paper would also be a good source of helping and providing advice for students’ life problems. The long tradition of reading a newspaper for information and networking still has its place at Camden County College.