The University of Findlay’s campus newspaper, The Pulse, is the first college or university newspaper to receive membership in the Ohio Newspaper Association (ONA), an organization established in 1933, which brings together daily and weekly newspaper staffs in Ohio.

ONA recently established a new category of membership to assist the staffs of college and university newspapers. According to Chris Underation, assistant professor of communication and faculty adviser to The Pulse, one of the most important benefits of the ONA membership is the networking opportunity it will provide. Students will meet working professionals from more than 250 daily and weekly newspapers in Ohio.

Another benefit Underation mentioned is the possibility of content sharing with other ONA members. “That helps the campus newspaper because it helps us network, and it helps the students understand what the current issues are that Ohio newspapers are dealing with,” he said.

Other membership benefits include guidance on matters of public records and open meetings; monitoring and updates on all media-related legislation in the Ohio General Assembly; job placement and referral service; advertising assistance; and access to a legal hotline.

To apply for ONA membership, The Pulse was required to submit an application as well as copies of its most recent issues. After an application and editorial content review, the ONA board of trustees voted to accept The Pulse into the association.