Having worked at a college newspaper (and even snagging an award for editorial writing — so stop mocking us) we know how many hours student broadsheets can vacuum from your social schedule just to meet those silly things called “deadlines” or play beer pong in the basement (true story).

But maybe we would’ve worked harder, cared more and considered graduating as a sixth year senior if our student daily had the budget of, say, the Daily Pennsylvanian. Its $1 million annual allowance is nothing to scoff at, and neither is its 200-person staff — and UPenn doesn’t even have a journalism program! (Okay, they have a comm department, big deal.)

(Interestingly, our newspaper, Syracuse University’s Daily Orange, was comprised mostly of non-Newhouse/communications students.)

While national newspapers are seeing their staff slashed and budgets cut while circulation spirals lower, college papers are doing more than just fine, hiring “design consultants,” buying “color presses” and acting like the elitest media professionals they aspire to be.

But hey, if we were registered as a non-profit, out bottom line would look impressive too. Alas, it doesn’t, which gives us room to complain.

But with all that cash in their coffers, we’d like to officially end the debate on whether college newspapers and their writers are garnering too much Romenesko exposure. With all that money and sought after readership, they deserve some media criticism, if only Jon Friedman creampuff kind.

College Papers Grow Up [Newsweek]
Related: College is where you drink, screw and write articles you’ll regret