1911

The Illini Media Company, formerly the Illini Publishing Company, incorporated as a 503(c)(3) in 1911. The Daily Illini began 40 years before that as The Student.

102

For 102 years, the Illini Media Company has operated entirely from advertising revenue, Illio sales and donations. That business model changed when the University student body voted and approved a student fee for the Illini Media Company. 

58%

After more than 4,000 students signed a petition to put the fee on the spring semester ballot in 2012, 58 percent of student body voters approved it.

$1.85

Originally, the Illini Media Company proposed a $3 student fee, but in October 2012, the Student Fee Advisory Committee recommended that it be $1.85. Beginning this fiscal year — this semester — the company will receive the fee. 

~9%

The fee is expected to generate about 9 percent of the company’s revenue for fiscal year 2014. It is intended for general purposes to help further the educational and professional mission of the company. Despite the fee, we will continue as an editorially independent organization. 

12

In years past Illini Media’s board of directors comprised eight members – four students and four nonstudents.

With this new contract, the board of directors will consist of 12 members – adding two new student members and two new nonstudent members. 

The two new student members will be chosen by the Illini Media Company from a pool of at least four student candidates. This pool will be created by the Student Fee Advisory Committee. 

One of the new nonstudent members will be chosen by Illini Media from a pool of at least two faculty or staff members from the University. This pool will be created by the vice chancellor of Student Affairs. For the other new nonstudent member, Illini Media will select a member of the general public, or a faculty or staff member of the University.

1

With this fee, you are helping to fund an important cornerstone of campus life. You are allowing an educational media company to transition into a greater one and funding one of campus’ greatest educational laboratories, which provides the training grounds for countless careers. The student fee will fund four media outlets: The Daily Illini, which owns the Technograph magazine and the217.com calendar; buzz magazine, the Illio yearbook; and the radio station, WPGU 107.1.

?

The students that work here, your peers, are afforded innumerable opportunities because of the work they are able to do here and because of the information they are able to provide you, the readers, listeners and viewers. Alumni of Illini Media Company have gone on to change and define their fields in journalism, design, business, art, management, photography, education and more. 

***

This fee will provide the scaffolding for a media company in transition.

It will keep alive a campus tradition that has been a watchdog at this university.

And now, it will continue with your help.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that The Daily Illini was first called The Illini. The Daily Illini was first called The Student. The Daily Illini regrets the error.