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Author: Ciara Hodges

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KSU students organize benefit concert in Kennesaw

  • Ciara Hodges
  • November 18, 2016
  • 0

Students from the Joel A. Katz Music and Entertainment Business Program will host a concert benefiting MUST Ministries.

Town hall meeting gives voice to students
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Town hall meeting gives voice to students

  • Ciara Hodges
  • October 3, 2016
  • 0

The Commission on Racial and Ethnicity Dialogue hosted the State of Multicultural Student Life Town Hall meeting held on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

President of Political Science Club discusses local politics
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President of Political Science Club discusses local politics

  • Ciara Hodges
  • October 3, 2016
  • 0

Shazad Hamid talks about Holsomback’s suspended campaign and the Political Science Club.

KSU student allegedly hacks Owl Express, changes grades
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KSU student allegedly hacks Owl Express, changes grades

  • Ciara Hodges
  • September 21, 2016
  • 0

A former Kennesaw State University student is in police custody for allegations hacking into Owl Express to change grades.

Annual women’s conference highlights empowerment through transition
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Annual women’s conference highlights empowerment through transition

  • Ciara Hodges
  • March 22, 2016
  • 0

The Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics and Character hosted the 16th Annual Phenomenal Women’s Conference Friday, March 18, 2016 at the KSU Center. The conference […]

Geek Week Presents: Robots and Bacon
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Geek Week Presents: Robots and Bacon

  • Ciara Hodges
  • March 22, 2016
  • 0

As part of Geek Week celebrations, Kennesaw State University hosted a Robot Demonstration with a Bacon Reception Thursday, March 17. Geek Week started about four […]

Campus Group Focuses on Promoting Alcohol Awareness
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Campus Group Focuses on Promoting Alcohol Awareness

  • Ciara Hodges
  • March 1, 2016
  • 0

The Peer Health Outreach & Wellness Leaders, also known as OWLs, along with the Center for Health Promotion and Wellness at Kennesaw State University, hosted […]

Sexual health programs encourage safer sex in KSU community
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Sexual health programs encourage safer sex in KSU community

  • Ciara Hodges
  • February 16, 2016
  • 0

The Peer Health Outreach & Wellness Leaders, also known as OWLs, along with the Center for Health Promotion and Wellness at Kennesaw State University hosted […]

Cooking demos encourage community health at KSU
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Cooking demos encourage community health at KSU

  • Ciara Hodges
  • February 9, 2016
  • 0

The Center for Health Promotion and Wellness at Kennesaw State University hosted a cooking class for students February 3 teaching them how to make nut-free […]

2015 Veteran’s Day Ceremony
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2015 Veteran’s Day Ceremony

  • Ciara Hodges
  • November 17, 2015
  • 0

KSU honors those who have served in the armed forces during its Veteran’s Day Ceremony.

Discussing the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Kennesaw and Beyond
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Discussing the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Kennesaw and Beyond

  • Ciara Hodges
  • October 27, 2015
  • 0

By Ciara Hodges, Contributor The Department of Museums, Archives, and Rare Books presented a panel discussion about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Kennesaw as well as […]

The Sentinel logo

The Sentinel is the student newspaper of Kennesaw State University. Since 1966, The Sentinel has provided an open forum to the campus community. It is published in print monthly and online weekly.

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Accessibility Statement

Copyright © 2025 The Sentinel Theme: Fact News By Adore Themes.

KENNESAW, Ga. — Since October 1963, KSU Student Media has dedicated itself to authentic storytelling and exceptional journalism written by the students, for the students. Over the past two academic years, Student Media at Kennesaw State University has seen significant traction and promise through strong student leadership and ambitious
initiatives.

OWL Radio, The Sentinel Newspaper and The Peak Magazine have grown into organizations whose reach, whether through written word or radio broadcast, touches tens of thousands of students.

Despite the lack of institutional support, Sentinel and OWL Radio have been nominated for the Atlanta Press Club 2026 Awards of Excellence and the GABBY awards for Student Radio, respectively.

Kennesaw State University administration is hindering progress by stripping the key funding for The Sentinel, The Peak and OWL Radio.

On March 23, KSU announced that there were no remaining funds for Student Media. This eradicated the possibility for additional physical prints for The Sentinel or The Peak and drastically cut funding for OWL Radio’s event programming. The justification of the funding removal does not come with a promise of better housing, parking, or safety on campus for students. Rather, it comes with KSU’s neglect of their debt to their music licensing budget.

For the fiscal year, Student Media was allocated a $97,000 budget by the Division of Student Affairs. However, instead of the entirety going to Student Media, $61,185.99 of the budget paid for music licensing fees for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) and Student Affairs as a whole.

This move through budgeting resulted in Student Media paying not just the debt for the music licensing, but Kennesaw State University’s ability to play music across campus freely.
Despite only being responsible for part of the music licensing costs, Student Media’s budget covers almost all of KSU’s music licensing fees, excluding athletics. These fees take up 63.08% of Student Media’s total budget, meaning OWL Radio, The Peak and The Sentinel are only receiving a fraction of the funding they need to function.

Here’s the truth: Kennesaw State is disinterested in the growth of Student Media.

We are in a dangerous and pivotal time in American History. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, under the Trump Administration, Press Freedoms have been dubbed “no longer a given” by the organization.

Student reporting and radio operations are becoming more crucial by the day to cover important topics larger media outlets look away from, and the stripping of funding follows a dangerous step for KSU’s perspective on Press and Broadcasting Freedoms.

This follows a concerning enrollment pattern in KSU’s journalism program while other university papers, such as the University of Georgia’s Red & Black and Emory University’s The Emory Wheel, continue to thrive. Editorial Board: KSU’s Neglect of Student Media Is Unacceptable

The university’s journalism program, which did not exist until 2017 according to Campus Enrollment Data, saw early success, with peak enrollment numbers in 2018 and 2020. However, the program has seen a steady decline since 2021.

Instead of taking the time to invest in its journalism students, KSU has opted to invest into their athletic department, pouring millions of dollars into sports and freshmen generations, including a $15 million dollar naming deal with FifthThirds Stadium and a lack of housing or class priority for students who classify as non-freshman.

Fundamentally, Kennesaw State’s recent history has been defined by an administration that has neglected the student body and proven repeatedly that KSU’s priorities are financially tied to athletics and tuition revenue from incoming classes.

To have a thriving campus community, KSU must invest in its student body. Students want a university that cares for each student, not how many students it can accept and pack into a classroom or a stadium. A university is only as great as its students’ success, and without true support, KSU will always fall short.

OWL Radio, The Sentinel and The Peak are calling for the support of the student body, faculty and alumni by donating to Student Media through KSU’s Giving Day. Any amount helps and will allow Student Media to continue quality, student led content.

Signed Kennesaw State University Student Media Editors and Managers, Zaire Breedlove, Devyn Byers, Alexis Barton, Tye Brown, Devyn Woodard, Joey Hawthorne, Mary Wingate, Mafe Gomez, James Harris, Jordan Scruggs, Scott Daniell, Jackson Louneoubon

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