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General Information
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About the Chariot Student Newspaper
The Chariot is a member of Associated Collegiate Press
Location (Oceanside)
The Chariot Newspaper
MiraCosta College
One Barnard Dr., Room 3441
Oceanside, CA 92056
Phone: (760) 757-2121, ext. 6254
FAX: (760) 757-8209
Email: mccchariot@yahoo.com
A Brief History
The earliest edition of the of a publication for the MiraCosta community can be dated back to 1935, printed as a simple four-page newsletter serving the Oceanside-Carlsbad College. For many years, the Chariot was published by students enrolled in MiraCosta College journalism classes. In 1993, low enrollment in these classes prompted the Letters Department to discontinue them. By that time, the Chariot was being published in newsletter form. December of 1993 saw the last edition of the newspaper produced by MiraCosta College journalism students. In 1994, the Chariot remained dormant. However, newly appointed MiraCosta College president, Tim Dong, could not envision a college without a newspaper. He approached Vice President of Student Services, Dick Robertson, and persuaded him to re-establish the Chariot under the auspices of Student Services, with Student Activities directly responsible for its publication.
In the spring of 1995, the Chariot resumed publication in newsletter form. Student staff members were volunteers, under the guidance of a staff appointed adviser. Student Services designated $5,000 a year towards the monthly publication of the Chariot. The November 1995 edition states the revived Chariot’s mission statement as: “To provide a vehicle of expression, interest, and awareness for the students and community of MiraCosta College.” The emphasis was less on preparing students for a career in journalism and more on assuring that the MiraCosta College community would continue to receive information regarding the campus and student activities. In 1999, the adviser resigned and a small group of students kept the Chariot presses rolling until a new adviser could be hired.
The turn of the century saw a brighter future for the Chariot. newspaper. The administration requested the Chariot be printed on newsprint, which made the Chariot look, once again, like a newspaper instead of a newsletter. As the Chariot gained momentum, students began taking a renewed interest in producing a college newspaper.
By fall, 2003, the Chariot was producing eight pages on a bi-weekly basis, appearing on the newsstands on alternate Monday mornings. Currently the Chariot is printed in tabloid size (11” X 17”) and features the college's colors, red and black, on the front page as well as four-color photo reproductions. Run of press is currently 3,000 copies. Readership is estimated to be nearly 20,000.
Lack of adequate financial support continuously plagues college newspapers, as few are able to generate enough advertising revenue to sustain printing costs, equipment purchases, and staff compensations. The Chariot suffered from lack of proper funding after the transfer of its production from Instruction to Student Services. This problem was ameliorated in the spring of 2003 when students voted to increase the Student ID Card fee by one dollar, which would be designated for the Chariot to ensure its continued publication. Additionally, the Student ID Card revenue serves a greater purpose than simply funding the newspaper; it guarantees the independent state of the Chariot.
One of the many challenges facing the ongoing publication of the Chariot has been the lack of appropriate compensation for students’ considerable devotion of time and energy towards the production of a quality newspaper. In 2003, Career Studies and Services deemed participation on the Chariot staff as meeting requirements for either Work Study employment or a student internship. Additionally, in 2004, the Student Activities Office, in conjunction with the Chariot Adviser, created a scholarship program through which staff members receive financial compensation for contributing to the production of the Chariot. At the conclusion of the fall 2005 semester, nearly $4,000 was awarded to Chariot staff members.
As one MiraCosta College faculty member stated recently, “The Chariot has now become a part of the MiraCosta landscape. People look forward to each edition.” Continuing to be “part of the landscape” is the primary objective, as well as, an honor for the Chariot team.
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