As early as next month, Pitt students could have a wider range of newspapers available to… As early as next month, Pitt students could have a wider range of newspapers available to them in dorms and University buildings.

At Tuesday night’s Student Government Board meeting, President Shady Henien announced plans for a pilot program in cooperation with USA Today to bring that newspaper as well as The New York Times to Pitt for a small fee.

Board member Lacee Ecker said that the papers could be available by the end of February as part of a four-week no-cost trial run to gauge student interest in the program.

After the trial period, USA Today will evaluate student response to the program and make a decision as to whether or not it will move forward.

But, as Ecker emphasized, the students will have the final say.

“After [the trial period] there will be some sort of voting. If students want it, we can get it. If everyone says ‘no, this is terrible, we don’t want it,’ then the people have spoken, and we won’t do it,” Ecker said.

Henien said that, during the pilot, the papers would be placed in certain “high-traffic” areas at Pitt, including Towers, the Petersen Events Center and the William Pitt Union.

If response to the pilot program is favorable, the program could be in full effect by the fall 2007 semester, Ecker said.

Henien said that if they institute the program, it would cost approximately $2.50 per student per semester.

“We’re still looking into how that’s going to be funded,” he said. “We also want student input. We’re eventually going to create a poll to see what students think.”

Currently, Pitt students have access to free copies of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in dorms and other University buildings.

“It’s been addressed a couple times that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is maybe not the best newspaper,” Ecker said. “Students are looking for the New York Times or things on that level.”

SGB Notes Discussions with the Pittsburgh Port Authority regarding the potential removal of the 28X and 59U bus routes are continuing.

“The Port Authority listens to numbers,” board member Joshua Carl said. “They’re reading your e-mails,” added board member Sumter Link. No official decision is expected until mid-April.

The first SGB town hall meeting of the spring semester will be held next Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. in the Lower Lounge of the William Pitt Union. This meeting will focus on issues relating to women. Board member Sheila Isong said that she hopes to “create a space where women of different races, economic classes and religions can come together to voice issues that they have in common.”

Student government members from the University of the Netherlands were in attendance at the meeting. The board is visiting with Pitt’s SGB to learn about their student government format, as well as better comprehend some of Pitt’s technologies such as Blackboard.

President Shady Henien also discussed adding more programs for students on weekend-nights as alternatives to alcohol. Henien listed comedians, speakers and games as examples.

“This is a huge thing that the University wants to push,” Henien said. “We need the input of the students. This is your money, right?”

“SGB Notes” compiled by Staff Writer Drew Singer