Due to budget cuts and a push by the university to be more environmentally friendly, the Chimes will begin printing on toilet paper starting next semester.
According to Heath Carr, Editor-in-Chief of the student paper, the move was the “next logical step” after other changes couldn’t keep the paper afloat.
“Even after renting out our office as an affordable campus housing option on AirBnB, we were still struggling to find money in the budget to keep printing, and keep our clout at a maximum,” Carr said. “We didn’t want to resort to a Chipotle fundraiser, so it made the most sense for us to ditch newsprint for toilet paper.”
While Carr said the change was mostly motivated by cuts to the Chimes’ budget, she said the bright side is that the news will probably reach a broader audience.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get students to pick up the paper, but no
w everyone who uses campus restrooms will have to look at it!” she said. “It’s like the Stall Talks, but different.”
Carr said the move was fully supported by the Chimes’ faculty adviser, Melly Kessinger, who called toilet paper “the future of print journalism.”
Matt Pike, director of facilities, said the move is environmentally friendly because it will cut down on wasted paper.
“There are usually hundreds of leftover editions of the Chimes just sitting around campus each week; think about how many trees we’re saving by giving the paper a second use,” Pike said.
For some students, this change will only make their current habits easier.
“I’ve been using the Chimes as toilet paper for as long as I’ve been on this campus,” junior psychology major Rylee James said. “It’s not like there’s anything important in there anyway, and it’s cheaper than Charmin.”
For others, they won’t even notice a change.
“We have a campus newspaper?” Jacob Roberts, senior journalism and professional writing major, said.
The Chimes will continue printing on regular newsprint for the rest of the semester, but beginning next fall, check your nearest campus bathroom Thursday mornings for the two-ply edition of the Chimes.
