U of L Department of Communication proposes fee to fund The Cardinal

By Jai’Michael Anderson

In its 99th year, The Louisville Cardinal stands as the University of Louisville’s primary student news outlet. Despite its status, U of L faculty members say the publication is at risk of dying if it cannot find stable funding.

The U of L Department of Communication has drafted a budget proposal that would instate a student fee to solve this very issue and establish a multi-platform media hub.

Recent financial struggles

The Cardinal began operating as a non-profit independent of U of L in 1971; most of the paper’s revenue came from advertisements funded by the university.

U of L generally spent $40,000 to $60,000 on ads each year, making up a large chunk of The Cardinal’s $146,000 budget. The publication took a massive hit in 2018 when the university decided to reduce these ads amidst a $48 million budget shortfall caused by a mishandling of funds.

Nearly $30,000 in donations kept TLC afloat, but these funds were finite.

The Cardinal stopped printing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the university bought it in 2022 for $1.

TLC’s budget significantly decreased, shaping how it operates today.

Currently, the publication’s editors are financially supported by small, reappropriated scholarships from U of L’s Department of Communication. Discretionary funds from the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office give a stipend to its adviser, Ralph Merkel.

There is no room in the budget to pay its contributor base, which is more than 50 people.

The first issue of The Louisville Cardinal.

What’s on the table?

According to Chair of the Department of Communication Kandi Walker, the College of Arts & Sciences is restructuring and cutting all financial support for The Cardinal in fall 2026.

Walker says a student fee would ensure the financial stability of The Cardinal and give students complete editorial independence.

“I don’t think that upper administration should really pay because I would like to see students having the autonomy of saying ‘this is our paper,’” she said. “It is buying into the notion of free press and democracy, and ‘my voice matters as a student.’”

She referenced House Bill 4 and the censorship of the Indiana Daily Student as key issues that threaten press freedom.

“Students need to own their own media. They need to have a voice in what is said and how it’s said,” said Walker.

The fee proposal would require all non-Pell Grant eligible U of L students to pay $25 each semester. If passed, it is projected to generate approximately $600,000 per semester based on 24,000 students in the fall and spring semesters.

This projected budget mirrors those of student publications at U of L’s peer institutions. Notably The College Heights Herald at Western Kentucky University has a budget of over $750,000 and runs independently of the university.

The proposal would support increased pay for all students involved and the add more faculty advisers. It would also establish a multimedia hub they call “Cards Media.” The hub would provide more experiential learning and paid opportunities for students, according to the proposal draft.

This would also mean a return to print and the ability for students to expand their reporting with podcasts, videos and social media content.

According to Walker, the department needs a letter of support from the Student Government Association before the proposal can be sent to a higher entity that will vote on the fee.

She acknowledged that students may be hesitant to support the proposal due to rising tuition costs and the $200 athletics fee imposed before the beginning of the fall 2025 semester.

“The [SGA] top four; they’re in a precarious situation because they may personally want to have student media, but they are trying to protect students,” she said. “If I were a student leader, I would be concerned. Like, I might want this, but another one and another one and another? How much can students take?”

But Walker stands strong in her conviction that the fee will benefit all U of L students.

“I cannot stress how important it is, not only to have a democratic voice, but to teach the importance of a democratic voice on a campus,” she said.

SGA declined to sign the letter when presented with the proposal earlier this month.

The next vote will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 28.