Technique (newspaper)

Last updated

The Technique
The Technique 12-01-2006.jpg
The December 1, 2006, front page of
the Technique
TypeWeekly student newspaper
Format Tabloid
SchoolGeorgia Institute of Technology
Owner(s) Georgia Institute of Technology
PublisherGeorgia Tech Student Publications
EditorYashvini Deva
Founded1911
Headquarters353 Ferst Dr NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30332, US
CountryUnited States
Circulation 10,000 (spring and fall) [1]
6,000 (summer) [1]
OCLC number 1130759366
Website nique.net OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Technique, also known as the "'Nique", is the official student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and has referred to itself as "the South's liveliest college newspaper" since 1945. [2] As of the fall semester of 2011, the Technique has a weekly circulation of 10,000, [1] distributed to numerous locations on the Georgia Tech campus and a handful of locations in the surrounding area. The first issue of the Technique was published on November 17, 1911, and the paper has printed continuously since its founding. [3] The paper publishes weekly throughout the regular school year and primarily covers news, events and issues specific to the Georgia Tech community. In 2004 it was one of 25 collegiate newspapers to receive the Pacemaker award from the Associated Collegiate Press. [4]

Contents

History

The front page of the first issue of The Technique 1911 Technique.jpg
The front page of the first issue of The Technique

A publication known as The Georgia Tech was the Georgia Institute of Technology's (also known as Georgia Tech) first student newspaper. It was established in 1894 and was the second student publication to be established on campus. The Georgia Tech published a "Commencement Issue" that reviewed sporting events and gave information about each class. [5] [6] The "Commencement Issue" was likely similar to the Technique's Freshman Issue. The Technique was founded in 1911; its first issue was published on November 17, 1911 [7] [8] by editors Albert Blohm and E. A. Turner, [7] [9] and the content revolved around the upcoming rivalry football game against the University of Georgia. The first issue also featured an article by legendary football coach John Heisman. [7]

The Technique has been published weekly ever since, except for a brief period that the paper was published twice weekly. [3] This period ran from January 14, 1948, to September 6, 1956. The Georgia Tech and the Technique operated separately for several years following the Technique's establishment, though the two publications eventually merged in 1916. [9] Several sources claim that the Technique is among a number of student organizations to be founded by the ANAK Society. [9] [10]

Present-day publication

The Technique is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters, with the exceptions of "dead week", finals week, and spring break and is published biweekly during the summer semester. As of the 2005–2006 publication year, the paper has also taken a hiatus the week prior to spring break. General staff meetings are held on Tuesdays, when the majority of story assignments are made to a mostly volunteer writing staff. [11] Deadline is on Wednesday nights during weeks when the paper is published, [12] and the copy is sent to the printer on Thursday morning.[ citation needed ] The paper is then distributed around the campus on the Friday of that week.[ citation needed ] The Technique's office is located in the northwest corner of the Student Services Building. [12]

The paper is operated by a staff of approximately 50 paid and unpaid students, as well as two permanent, paid, non-student staff members. As Georgia Tech has no journalism school, the Technique welcomes all students within the institute to contribute to its content. The Technique is funded primarily by advertisements, and to a lesser extent by Tech's Student Government Association. [13]

The Technique is generally between 16 and 40 pages long, the length of an issue being dependent upon the number of advertisements purchased for a given week. The paper is organized into five sections: News (includes Georgia Tech-specific crime reports [14] and news), Life (previously Focus; includes human interest stories), Entertainment (includes reviews of music, movies, performance arts, and video games, cartoons, a crossword puzzle, and sudoku puzzles), Opinions (includes editorials, an editorial cartoon, op-eds, and letters to the editor), and Sports (includes summaries of recent Georgia Tech sports games and sports features).

Special editions

To Hell With Georgia

The most well-known of the special issues the Technique publishes is a satire of the University of Georgia's (UGA) student newspaper ( The Red and Black ). [15] The tradition of this parody dates back to the very first issue of the Technique, which was published with the intent of taunting Georgia Tech's rival school, and has its roots in the embittered rivalry between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. It is published just before the two schools compete in football and is one of the last issues of the fall semester. The parody is known as "To Hell With Georgia", after the school's popular cheer. [15] [16] On years where the schools play their football match at UGA's Sanford Stadium, Technique staff distribute the issue across UGA's campus. [15] In 2009, the THWGA issue was printed with an incorrect year in the masthead, though the date was corrected in the version posted online.

Freshman Issue

The Freshman Issue is another special edition of the Technique. It is the first issue published each academic year and is by far the longest issue, with each of the sections about as long as a normal issue. The content usually centers on the themes of welcoming freshmen and welcoming returning students back to Tech. The Freshman Issue also contains a special section dedicated to helping freshmen become more acquainted with Tech and its customs. [17] It is generally the only issue in which content from previous issues is reprinted.

Other special editions

Other special editions include the Homecoming issue, the April Fool's issue (historically known as the Techlique, which includes a section of fake news parodying Tech in a similar style to the "To Hell With Georgia" issue) and the "Best of Tech" issue, which is the final issue of the spring semester. [18]

Recurring features

Two Bits

The Technique featured an anonymous humor column called "Two Bits", which is authored by the mysterious Two Bits Man, a sarcastic, everyday virtuoso who concerns himself with Tech- and university-specific subjects. [19] His articles range from relentless sickly sniffles to school-wide subjects of controversy or interest. Popular targets for his scorn include Georgia Tech's Parking department and School of Physics, whereas he consistently praises the President Emeritus G. Wayne Clough, who he refers to as "Funk Masta G. Wayne". [20] [21] The Two Bits column had been discontinued in 2010, but was brought back in 2012, to again be discontinued in 2013. [22]

Sliver Box

One of the Technique's most popular features is the Sliver Box, an analogue of the Vent feature of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , which allows readers to submit any comment they wish. [23] Comments are submitted on the Technique's website and as many Slivers that will fit appear in the week's paper, usually in order of submission. Slivers are subject to minimal censorship, [23] with only full names of non-public figures, personal information, and strong profanities typically removed or altered.[ citation needed ] Other entries are occasionally removed or truncated, usually in cases of spamming of the Sliver submission system. According to the paper, the Box is used to fill empty room left between advertisements [23] in order to maintain a modular layout style.[ citation needed ] It is not uncommon for students to have conversations using the Sliver Box.[ citation needed ] Slivers were originally comments made by editorial board members during deadline night and were placed in narrow boxes ("Slivers") at the bottom of each page. [23] Comments made on deadline night and opinions of editorial board members still occasionally find their way into the Sliver Box.[ citation needed ]

1995 refusal of Campus Crusade for Christ ad

In 1995, Campus Crusade for Christ registered a complaint with the attorney general's office protesting the paper's refusal of its ad which included a picture of a young man captioned “a former homosexual, male prostitute and female impersonator." right around National Coming Out Day. The CCC argued that the refusal amounted to a state censorship, because administration was allegedly involved in the decision and that administration is considered a state agency. [24] Following the AG's opinion, the paper reluctantly agreed to run the ad, however, CCC withdrew the ad before it ran. [24] People have sent in letters to the editor. [25] [26]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Harvard Crimson</i> Harvard College undergraduate daily newspaper

The Harvard Crimson is the student newspaper at Harvard University, an Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The newspaper was founded in 1873, and is run entirely by Harvard College undergraduate students.

The Daily Illini, commonly known as the DI, is a student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 1871. Weekday circulation during fall and spring semesters is 7,000; copies are distributed free at more than 100 locations throughout Champaign–Urbana.

<i>The Tartan</i> (Carnegie Mellon University)

The Tartan is the original student newspaper of Carnegie Mellon University. Publishing since 1906, it is one of Carnegie Mellon's largest and oldest student organizations. It currently has over 170 student members, who contribute on a weekly basis. It is funded by advertisements and the university's student activities fee.

The South End is the official student newspaper of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, published in print and online. It was founded in 1967, and its publication is funded partly from university funds and partly from advertising revenues. It is distributed free of charge.

The Charlatan is the independent weekly student newspaper at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

<i>The Hoya</i> Student newspaper of Georgetown University

The Hoya, founded in 1920, is the oldest and largest student newspaper of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., serving as the university’s newspaper of record. The Hoya is a student-run paper that prints every Friday and publishes online daily throughout the year, with a print circulation of 4,000 during the academic year. The newspaper has four main editorial sections: News, Opinion, Science, Sports and The Guide, a weekly arts and lifestyle magazine. It also publishes several annual special issues including a New Student Guide, a basketball preview and a semesterly fashion issue.

<i>Washington Square News</i> Weekly student newspaper of New York University

Washington Square News (WSN) is the weekly student newspaper of New York University (NYU). It has a circulation of 10,000 and an estimated 55,000 online readers. It is published in print on Monday, in addition to online publication Tuesday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, with additional issues published in the summer. It serves the NYU, Greenwich Village, and East Village communities in Manhattan, New York City.

<i>The Student Life</i> Student newspaper of the Claremont Colleges

The Student Life is a student newspaper covering the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of liberal arts colleges in Claremont, California. It is published weekly each Friday during the academic year, typically spans roughly ten pages per issue, and is primarily funded by the student governments of the colleges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Junior's Grill</span> Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Junior's Grill was a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. It was located on the Georgia Tech campus in the Bradley Building near Tech Tower. It was a family business owned by Tommy Klemis. The restaurant served breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday, and was famous among students for its French toast and battered chicken fingers. It closed on April 21, 2011, due to declining business.

The State Press is the independent, student-operated news publication of Arizona State University. In August 2014, it became an all-digital publication. It published a free newspaper every weekday until January 2013, at which point its print distribution was reduced to once per week. The editorial board announced that ASU Student Media will begin to focus on "a host of new digital products and special print products."

The Fairfield Mirror is the student newspaper of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is a student-run publication that publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year with additional issues during commencement and orientation. The Mirror staff has won numerous Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists.

The Daily Targum is the official student newspaper of Rutgers University. Founded in 1867, it is the second-oldest collegiate newspaper in the United States. The Daily Targum is student written and managed, and boasts a circulation of 5,000 in 2017. In its current form, it exists as a bi-fold tabloid-style paper featuring international, national, local, and university news, as well as editorials, columns, comics, classifieds, sports, and other amusements. In 1980, the paper achieved independence from the University, establishing a non-profit organization, the Targum Publishing Company, which now oversees all areas of the paper. The Daily Targum is published Monday through Friday while classes are in session, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

<i>The Red & Black</i> (University of Georgia) Student newspaper serving the University of Georgia

The Red & Black is an independent weekly student newspaper serving the University of Georgia (UGA), updated daily on its website.

The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student news organization of the University of South Carolina. It primarily serves the main campus of the University of South Carolina System in the state of South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditions of the Georgia Institute of Technology</span> Aspect of Georgia Tech culture

Numerous Georgia Tech legends and traditions have been established since the school's opening in 1888, some of which have persisted for decades. Over time, the school has grown from a trade school into a large research university, and the traditions reflect that heritage. One of the cherished holdovers from Tech's early years, a steam whistle blows every weekday at various times to mark the changing of classes. It's for this reason that the faculty newspaper is named The Whistle.

The Towerlight is the online independent student newspaper at Towson University. It is run by Towson students, and frequently updates the campus on events and news. In the summer of 2008, Baltimore Student Media (BSM) was established by The Towerlight's staff and general manager. BSM is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support for aspiring student journalists, photographers, videographers and graphic designers. In July 2008, Towson University agreed to sign over its rights to The Towerlight to BSM.

<i>The Sentinel</i> (KSU)

The Sentinel is the official student newspaper of Kennesaw State University (KSU) in Kennesaw, Georgia. As of the fall 2018 semester, the Sentinel had a weekly circulation between 5,000 and 6,000, distributed to over 30 locations on the KSU campus.

<i>Central Florida Future</i> İndependent weekly student newspaper of the University of Central Florida in Orlando

The Central Florida Future was the independent weekly student newspaper of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. The Future was one of the largest student-run newspapers in the United States, with a circulation of 14,000 and readership of over 30,000. It was a member of the USA Today network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Tech</span> Public university in Atlanta, Georgia, US

The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it is part of the University System of Georgia and has satellite campuses in Savannah, Georgia; Metz, France; Shenzhen, China; and Singapore.

<i>The Signal</i> (college newspaper) Georgia State Universitys student-run newspaper

The Signal is the official student newspaper of Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. As of 2018, The Signal has a weekly circulation of about 5,000 issues distributed to all Georgia State campuses, including Alpharetta, Atlanta, Decatur, Dunwoody, Newton and a handful of locations in the surrounding area. The paper publishes on Tuesdays during Spring and Fall semesters. It primarily covers news, events and issues specific to the Georgia State community and covers stories relating to the city of Atlanta with interest to its readers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Technique Advertising Supplement" (PDF). Technique. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2008.
  2. Paine, Buddy (May 19, 1945). 1911 Birth of South's Liveliest College Weekly. Vol. 26. Georgia School of Technology. pp. 1–2. hdl: 1853/26145 . OCLC   7644360.{{cite book}}: |newspaper= ignored (help) (It was "South's Liveliest College Weekly" from 1945 to 1948. When twice weekly publication began "Weekly" was changed to "Newspaper".)
  3. 1 2 Shaw, Jody (August 23, 2002). "What is the Technique?". The Technique. Georgia Tech Student Publications. Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2007.
  4. "2004 ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Winners". Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  5. McMath, Robert C.; Bayor, Ronald H.; Brittain, James E.; Foster, Lawrence; Giebelhaus, August W.; Reed, Germaine M. (1985). Engineering the New South: Georgia Tech 1885–1985. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. p. 129.
  6. "The Georgia Tech Editorial Staff". Georgia Tech Archives Finding Aids. Georgia Tech Library. Retrieved March 16, 2007.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. 1 2 3 "The Technique" (PDF). November 17, 1911. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 20, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
  8. "Staff Manual and Style Guide" (PDF). Technique. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 12, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  9. 1 2 3 "ANAK: General History". Archived from the original on January 13, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2007.
  10. "Georgia Tech ANAK Society". Georgia Tech Archives Finding Aids. Georgia Tech Library. Retrieved March 16, 2007.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. Back, Alan (January 18, 2002). "Staff Editorials: Oldest Living Technique Writer Tells All (at Long Last)". The Technique. Archived from the original on June 7, 2007. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
  12. 1 2 Thomason, Kyle (August 26, 2005). "All About the Technique". The Technique. Archived from the original on January 10, 2006. Retrieved April 4, 2007.
  13. "FY 2006–2007 Student Activity Fee Budget, as Passed". Archived from the original (Excel binary workbook) on February 20, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  14. Baskett, Kenny (February 9, 2007). "Campus Crime". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  15. 1 2 3 "Nique Staff Does Athens in Lavish Style". The Technique. December 1, 2000. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2007.
  16. "Traditions: "The Good Word"". T-Book. Archived from the original on September 7, 2006. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  17. "2006 Freshman Issue". The Technique. August 25, 2006. Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  18. "The Best & Worst of Tech" (PDF). The Technique. April 21, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 3, 2006. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  19. Two Bits Man (September 10, 2006). "A Lesson in Love, a Lecture on Hate: That's the Tech Way". The Technique. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 10, 2007.
  20. Two Bits Man (January 19, 2007). "Two Bits Shares an Attempt at Lyrical Poetry About Funkmasta G. Wayne". The Technique. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  21. Two Bits Man (October 13, 2006). "Two Bits Analyzes the Interrelatedness of Cars, TV, Stupidity". Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  22. Two Bits Man (January 12, 2012). "Two Bits: Dining Services Overflow with Generosity" . Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Griffin, Lauren (February 18, 2005). "Avoid Common Sliver Misconceptions". The Technique. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  24. 1 2 "Ga. Tech Battles Advertiser, AG's Office". Student Press Law Center. August 1996. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  25. Lands, LeeAnn (November 10, 1995). "Support for Tolerance Always Welcome". The Technique. Letter to the Editor. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  26. Ketterman, Pete (October 27, 1995). "Crusade Wants Level Playing Field". The Technique. Letter to the Editor. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2007.

33°46′28″N84°23′59″W / 33.774496°N 84.399625°W / 33.774496; -84.399625