Southern Methodist University Student Newspapers

S.M.U. Times, Volume I, Number 1,
September 11, 1915

S. M. U. Campus, Volume 1,
Number 12, September 1,
1931

The Campus, Volume I,
Number 020, February 18,
1916

The Campus,
Volume II, Number 029,
April 20, 1917

The Campus, Volume IV,
Number 012, December 18,
1918

The Semi-Weekly Campus,
Volume 28, Number 23,
February 10, 1943

The SMU Campus,
Volume 53, Number 1,
September 1, 1967

About the Collection

Holding library: SMU Archives, DeGolyer Library

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About the Collection

Overview

Beginning a tradition that has thrived for nearly a century, Southern Methodist University students published a campus newspaper the first month the university opened. The S.M.U. Times’ premiere issue debuted September 11, 1915 — 11 days before school started. Articles in that first issue included the following: "Four Hundred Business Men Helping Dallas Raise $200,000 for Student’s Dormitory at S. M.U.," "Faculty Reception Attended by 2,000 of Dallas Citizens," "Many Stars to be on Football Squad," and more.

In an effort to make early editions of the campus newspapers available online, Southern Methodist University Archives initiated a project to digitize these student publications. All historic issues, previously only in print or on microfilm, have been digitized. Digital files of the newspapers created by the Student Media Company for 2010 through 2018 were also donated to the SMU Archives when the Student Media Company became defunct, and those newspapers are also available in this collection.

About the Papers

Presently the student newspapers are available on microfilm in Fondren Library for the dates 1915-May 2009. In 1998, the Daily Campus became digital and a print paper and is archived online from 2010-2017. The newspapers are indexed from Fall 1915 - 2002. These indices are available in Fondren Library (call number LH1.S66 S65) and in Fondren Library’s Centennial Reading Room. After 2002, the Daily Campus was no longer indexed since it was stored online and easily searchable. In addition, the Southern Methodist University Archives has a small collection of unbound newspapers. A finding aid that describes these issues is available.

The Southern Methodist University Students’ Publishing Company, incorporated in 1930, established a free press. The company, now called the Student Media Company, Inc., is a non-profit Texas corporation that operates independently from SMU. It publishes The Daily Campus and Rotunda yearbook, both of which are edited by students. KPNI Radio (formerly KSMU) was supported and owned by the Student Media Company from 1964-1989 and from 1995-2003. It also publishes the Directory of Students, Staff, and Faculty.

Over the years, the frequency of the newspaper has varied from once or twice a week to daily. The way the paper has been produced has changed, too, as technology evolved. In 1939, this silent movie explains how the Semi-Weekly Campus went to press.

The SMU newspaper has also changed names many times throughout its publication:

• SMU Times — Volume 1, Numbers 1 - 14 (September 11 - December 18, 1915)
• The Campus — Volume 1, Number 15 – Volume 8, Number 12 (January 14, 1916 - December 8, 1922)
• The Semi-Weekly Campus — Volume 8, Number 13 – Volume 22 (January 10, 1923 - May 1937)
• The Campus — Volume 23 (September 1937 - May 1938)
• The Semi-Weekly Campus— Volumes 24 - 25 (September 1938 - May 1940)
• The Campus — Volume 26 (September 1940 - May 1941)
• Semi-Weekly Campus —Volumes 27 - 28 (September 1941 - May 1943)
• Campus — Volumes 29 – 30 (July 1943 - June 1945)
• The SMU Campus — Volume 31 (September 1945 - August 1946); Volume 32, Number 16 (November 20, 1946 - 1969)
• The Campus — Volume 32, Numbers 1 - 15 (September 27 - November 16, 1946)
• The Daily Campus — Volume 55 – 100 (August 1969 – May 2015)
• SMU Campus Weekly —Volume 101 – (July 2015 - May 2018)

The Daily Campus continues today online only as a website run by the Journalism department. The Campus ceased print publication in May, 2018.

Weekend issues of The Daily Campus were published with the title The Daily Campus Weekender from 1976 to 1979. Summer issues of The Daily Campus were published with the title The Summer Campus from 1970 to 1983.

Although the name of the campus newspaper has changed several times, its mission has remained steadfast: "To operate superior, responsive student media in a learning environment dedicated to excellence, student freedom of expression and sound business practices appropriate to a university."

Funding

The funding for the digitization and creation of metadata for this collection has been provided by grants from the Friends of the SMU Libraries since 2010. Thanks go to Cindy Boeke, Digital Collections Developer, for her oversight and collaboration on this project, and to the staff of the Norwick Center for Digital Solutions for the creation of metadata. Northern Micrographics creates digital files from our microfilm masters.