The Current (newspaper)

The Current is the official student newspaper of the University of Missouri–St. Louis. The Current is a tabloid published weekly on Mondays. The paper has won numerous awards, including "Best in State" from the Missouri College Media Association. Its office is located on the first floor of the Millennium Student Center on the north campus.

The Current
"UMSL's Independent Student News"
The Current Web Logo
TypeWeekly student newspaper
SchoolUniversity of Missouri–St. Louis
Founded1966[1]
HeadquartersSt. Louis, Missouri
Circulation5,000
Websitethecurrent-online.net

History

The Current was preceded by the monthly Tiger Cub from 1960–63 and the bi-weekly Mizzou News from 1963–66. The newspaper's name became UMSL Current in 1966; "UMSL" was later dropped from the name. The name change was intended to foster an identity independent from the University of Missouri in Columbia. The name Current refers to the river motif associated with the student body's choice of "Riverman" as the school mascot. UMSL has since changed its mascot to the Triton.

Some notable events
  • The Current's former office, in a house at 7940 Natural Bridge Rd., was damaged by an arsonist in 1997.
  • The Current broke a national story in September 1999 when it reported that the president of the Student Government Association was a convicted felon who had pleaded guilty to two felonies, stealing a credit device and fraudulent use of a credit device, shortly after he won the spring election.[2][3]
  • For the 2000–2001 school year, The Current won its first "Best Overall Newspaper" and "Sweepstakes" awards from the Missouri College Media Association.
  • In 2003 and again in 2004, The Current faced cuts to the subsidy it receives from student activity fees. The situation generated media coverage in St. Louis. The funds eventually were restored.[4][5]
  • For the 2006–2007 school year, The Current won several first place awards from the Missouri College Media Association, including "Best Page One Design," "Best Editorial Page," and "Best in State."
  • In 2009, the university suspended The Current's student organization privileges for issues related to payroll.[6] The Current was put back in good standing with Student Life in August 2009.
  • During the 2014–2015 academic year, The Current started a month-long crowdfunding campaign following the university's decision to completely cut the paper's funding. The campaign raised $8,923 of its $10,000 goal.[7]

Alumni

Organization
The 2014–2015 staff of The Current

The Current operates as an independent student organization with its own constitution. Each year, the newspaper's staff votes for a new editor-in-chief. As of 2014, The Current is funded solely by advertising sales. The staff consists of students and a faculty advisor.

See also

References
  1. Hemphill, Evie (May 12, 2016). "The Current, past and present: Student newspaper celebrates 50 years". UMSL Magazine. University of Missouri–St. Louis. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  2. The Current Online
  3. Thomson, Susan (1999-10-07). "UMSL students want leader ousted after his guilty plea to charge of credit card theft". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lee Enterprises. p. B3. UMSL's student newspaper, The Current, broke the story after getting a tip and investigating.
  4. Thomson, Susan (2004-04-22). "UMSL chief will address cuts at paper". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lee Enterprises. p. C3. The Current took a $20,200 funding cut from the student committee that divvies up among student organizations the money students pay in activity fees.
  5. Thomson, Susan (2003-05-07). "UMSL newspaper will get its subsidy after all". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lee Enterprises. p. B3. The committee of students that denied the student newspaper at the University of Missouri at St. Louis its first request for funding has relented.
  6. Kumar, Kavita (2009-06-22). "UMSL suspends student newspaper until August 1". stltoday.com. Lee Enterprises. An UMSL spokesman said the newspaper was being disciplined because it had a myriad of problems last year in filing the proper paperwork, including documentation related to payroll.
  7. "Crowdfunding".
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