The Student Government Association wants Loyola students to be informed. That’s why, when approached by representatives from the Collegiate Readership Program, SGA president Bea Forlano decided to get Loyola involved with the program.

The Collegiate Readership Program is a program managed by USA Today that is designed to provide college students with the opportunity to read local and national newspapers free of charge.

For a discounted price, schools can purchase daily newspapers for its students. The program Web site states that its goal is to “encourage a lifelong readership habit and to increase students’ knowledge of local, national, and international events.”

Through the program, SGA can purchase the New York Times for 45 cents a copy and USA Today for 35 cents a copy. Over the semester, they will distribute about 6,250 copies of the New York Times and about 7,000 copies of USA Today to Loyola students and faculty.

Congressperson at Large and political science junior Karl Weis said that the program has already been a great success.

“We’ve received a lot of support from teachers and students,” Weis said. “They love it.”

Weis said that SGA is looking into getting more funding for the program so that it can become a permanent fixture in the Loyola community.