Last year, #SaveStudentNewsrooms was created in reaction to Southern Methodist University’s student newspaper being forced to reaffiliate with their university due to their lack of funding. Now, the #SaveStudentNewsrooms campaign has been incorporated into Support Student Journalism Day on April 25.

Last year, The Sunflower went through our own controversy. Our funding was slashed in response to articles the school administration didn’t like. Administrators withheld records and tried intimidating our reporters and editors. But we didn’t back down and we kept doing our jobs.

Now, we’re better than ever and students and members of the Wichita State community realize how essential we are to our community. Our funding has been, for the most part, fully restored.

Advertising dollars are going up, specifically in print, because people know we’re the best way to reach out to the WSU community — even after our credibility and livelihood were attacked.

When you cut student newspapers, you’re hurting the community as a whole. Without student media, student organizations can’t showcase the events that they are putting on, students aren’t recognized for their amazing work, and corruption runs rampant.

We’re the watchdogs when local news outlets are being cut left and right due to corporate greed. We’re often the first ones there when a tragedy hits on campus. We’re also the first ones to listen.

Even when we’re going through our own issues, student journalists are still in the newsroom, doing our jobs and making sure that student voices are heard. I’m convinced that not many people work harder than journalists, and I’m saddened to see student newsrooms go through the trials and tribulations that they do.

Today, and every day, you should support student publications — even if we’re not the PR agencies administrators would prefer we be. Especially because we’re not that.