The Good 5 Cent Cigar
Encyclopedia
The Good Five-Cent Cigar is a daily, student
-run newspaper
for the University of Rhode Island
campus. The paper provides the university
community with information regarding on-campus issues and events, as well as providing world news
. The paper also has editorial, sports and entertainment sections.
The Cigar is published Tuesday through Friday while classes are in session and has an office in Room 125 of the URI Memorial Union. The paper has a circulation
of 5,000 and is printed by Ocean State Offset of East Greenwich, Rhode Island
.
The editor-in-chief’s comments were in response to what he perceived as widespread student apathy at the time. The senate was not amused and fired the editor. Most of the Beacon staff moved to the Cigar, which had previously been an underground, anti-war paper perceived by some as liberal-leaning.
Over the next three decades the paper adapted technology, moving from a system of typewrites and flats to electronic layout and delivery. Today, the paper employs about 35 reporters, editors and business staff in addition to a full-time professional compositor. It remains the only regularly published paper on campus.
who is said to have remarked to a U.S. Senate clerk, “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.” At the time, he was speaking about economic woes.
It is believed the paper adapted the name after editors felt that “all this campus needs is a good five-cent cigar.” The paper still carries the full quote under its flag, but does not attribute it.
However, the paper’s position as a senate-recognized group has often brought up contention when the paper seeks to cover stories perceived as negative to the senate by student senators.
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
-run newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
for the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
campus. The paper provides the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
community with information regarding on-campus issues and events, as well as providing world news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
. The paper also has editorial, sports and entertainment sections.
The Cigar is published Tuesday through Friday while classes are in session and has an office in Room 125 of the URI Memorial Union. The paper has a circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
of 5,000 and is printed by Ocean State Offset of East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....
.
History
The Cigar became the official student newspaper of the university in 1971 after the Student Senate shut down its predecessor, the Beacon. The senate shuttered the Beacon after the editor-in-chief printed a blank issue with the words “This is all you deserve.”The editor-in-chief’s comments were in response to what he perceived as widespread student apathy at the time. The senate was not amused and fired the editor. Most of the Beacon staff moved to the Cigar, which had previously been an underground, anti-war paper perceived by some as liberal-leaning.
Over the next three decades the paper adapted technology, moving from a system of typewrites and flats to electronic layout and delivery. Today, the paper employs about 35 reporters, editors and business staff in addition to a full-time professional compositor. It remains the only regularly published paper on campus.
Name
The Cigar’s name comes from a quote by former U.S. Vice President Thomas R. MarshallThomas R. Marshall
Thomas Riley Marshall was an American Democratic politician who served as the 28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson...
who is said to have remarked to a U.S. Senate clerk, “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.” At the time, he was speaking about economic woes.
It is believed the paper adapted the name after editors felt that “all this campus needs is a good five-cent cigar.” The paper still carries the full quote under its flag, but does not attribute it.
Editorial Control
The Cigar is overseen by the Cigar Board but editorial decisions are left mostly in the hands of the editor-in-chief in consultation with the two managing editors. Because the Cigar is a Student Senate recognized organization, it is completely separate from the university administration. As such, the paper is free to criticize and question administrators without fear of retribution.However, the paper’s position as a senate-recognized group has often brought up contention when the paper seeks to cover stories perceived as negative to the senate by student senators.