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Howard University's student-run newspaper has been shut down over a $48,000 outstanding bill and some wonder if the paper will ever publish again.
Howard's "Hilltop" was the only daily student newspaper at a historical black college or university in the county, until now. "I was wondering, they stopped coming to the door because I've been looking for it and it's not there anymore," said one student.
Students went to class without their campus headlines in hand because, school officials say, the paper owes its printer, the Washington Times, about $48,000.
"We get all this money and get all these donations. There's no need for us to owe 48 thousand dollars," said Freshman Thomas Burrell.
The big bill owed to the Times, according to the school, is the result of the paper's failure to sell enough advertisements and its failure to collect money form the ads that were sold. The decision to suspend printing came from the university and not the Times.
The call was made by the police advisory council, which is a group made up of faculty and nine students who decided to stop publishing before the paper went any further into debt.
"I know that they were having a lot of problems this summer as far as financial needs so that really does bother me," said Sophomore Tiffany Clark.
Students who work to get the paper published have done everything from working for free to cutting down the number of pages. Now faces with the reality of doing the newspaper business in a world of internet access, several departments will help to get the paper of the red and black, in black in white.
"We want to keep the newspaper functioning, number one. It serves the Howard community."
Student Ashley Williams said, "The paper is like an exciting thing. I like to read it whenever I am on campus."
Howard officials said the plan is to get the Hilltop back on campus within the week. Until then, the paper is only available on-line, by clicking here.
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