The Cadet newspaper Receives IRS 501(c)(3) Public Charity Status!

Non-Profit Structure Opens New Opportunities for Participating Cadets and Secures the Newspaper's Independent Future &emsp;&emsp;The Cadet Foundation (TCF), a nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Virginia recently received its Internal Revenue Service Tax Exempt registration on September 20, 2021. &emsp;&emsp;One misconception the group encountered is that by forming TCF The Cadet is published by an entity "outside VMI." TFC was organized by Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadets with alumni to provide a long-term, stable, sustainable organization, management, and business structure for The Cadet as a student-run newspaper. This approach follows the best practices in student newspapers where The Cadet joins such prestigious publications as The Dartmouth Daily Press (Dartmouth University and oldest independent college newspaper in America), The Diamondback (University of Maryland), Red & Black (University of Georgia), Daily Minnesotan (University of Minnesota), Daily Princetonian (Princeton University) and others. &emsp;&emsp;Since its creation in magazine format by Cadets working with alumni in 1871 through its transition in 1907 to its current newspaper format, The Cadet was always intended to be an independent student publication. It operated using an informal model in which Cadets had to maintain bank accounts, execute printing and other agreements to publish. This created a significant administrative burden on them to retain their editorial independence from VMI or any other organization as one of the oldest college newspapers in Virginia. This structure also severely limited not only how The Cadet could receive funds but, more significantly, constrained resources and opportunities that limited the experiences and benefits Cadets could receive from participating. &emsp;&emsp;This formal structure resolves those issues and opens tremendous opportunity for both cadets and the VMI Family supporting them by institutionalizing fundraising, publication and other business operations under a non-profit structure to ensure The Cadet remains from VMI Class to VMI Class. Its mentorship and 100% all volunteer structure with no paid employees ensures all funds collected go directly to support programs benefiting Cadets and that Cadets can divest administrative tasks to focus on writing and producing the highest quality journalistic product possible. &emsp;&emsp;As Tod Robberson, 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner and current Editorial Page Editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and a mentor for Cadets on The Cadet newspaper observed of the 501(c)(3) formed for The Cadet, "A growing trend in national journalism, including major newspapers like the Philadelphia Inquirer and Chicago Sun-Times, is to convert to non-profit status. News organizations that register themselves as 501(c)(3) nonprofits help establish themselves as fully independent of outside influence and pressure. Because traditional news media companies are in business to make money, the public always has reason to question, rightly or wrongly, whether financial or political interests might influence some news coverage no matter how much we try to dispel such assumptions. By registering as a non-profit, The Cadet makes clear it is beholden to no one but its readers. And that's a great way to advance vigorous, responsible student journalism." &emsp;&emsp;According to Mike Hiestand, Senior Legal Counsel, Student Press Law Center: "A number of the country's top college student newspapers have, like The Cadet, organized themselves as nonprofit entities. While the reasons for doing so vary, one of the big reasons for declaring independence is a quest for editorial freedom. These student media programs produce content that is determined and published solely by a student editorial staff. Because they are independent organizations — legally and financially separate from the schools they cover — they can report on topics free from an institution's control and influence. " &emsp;&emsp;Mat Paxton, Editor of the Lexington News-Gazette and also a mentor to The Cadet staff also praises this approach: "I'm pleased with the determination by the the IRS of 501(c)3 status for The Cadet Foundation as a qualified tax-exempt non-profit organization. I see this as recognition of The Cadet Foundation's purpose to support student journalism and student journalists at VMI." &emsp;&emsp;TFC focuses on the Cadets themselves and programs that bring cadets together with alumni and others for the benefit of all. According to its Articles, "the organization [TFC] will operate by conducting activities that carry out the charitable and educational purposes of The Cadet newspaper and related programs..." This structure supports the operation of The Cadet where the Cadet editors have total editorial control of all newspaper content independently. &emsp;&emsp;James Mansfield Co-Editor-In-Chief, "The structure is facilitated in a way where Cadets can listen to their BR's and feel comfortable expressing themselves on paper. We aim to bring the corps together and remind everyone that VMI is a place to be proud of." &emsp;&emsp;Last year's Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan Krause, one of the four Cadets from the Class of 2021 that re-launched The Cadet is also a BOD voting member. &emsp;&emsp;As now formally approved by the IRS, the organization will provide education to students through The Cadet as an independent student-run publication. The organization can provide grants to students to continue their education in journalism, attending national media conferences and other opportunities not previously available. In just one example, cadets working on The Cadet staff are now eligible to apply for paid summer 2022 internships and 2022-23 fellowships through TCF's connection to the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI). &emsp;&emsp;With the decline of print journalism paired with recent budget cuts at many colleges and universities, many student-run newspapers are going out of print. These colleges and universities may not offer journalism as a major, despite the ongoing need for the community to be informed by journalists as to current happenings in politics, sports, or the arts. Students wishing to pursue an education in this field may experience limited options for getting a degree in their field because of this. TFC was organized to provide students at VMI with education on writing in the style of a newspaper, as well as on editing for publication, through the operation of a student run newspaper. &emsp;&emsp;This education will be provided by upper class-men who demonstrate subject mastery, or by alumni and volunteer advisors. These individuals will educate students on topics such as interviewing for an article, a code of ethics, and accurate reporting for investigating pieces. The students at Virginia Military Institute will then have the opportunity to put what they have learned to the test through the creation of a student run newspaper. By providing students with real life experience, TCF will take lessons off a page or from a white board and permit students to work hands on applying these skills learned from the education provided by the organization. &emsp;&emsp;As The Cadet has been since it's creation and remains after re-started by Cadets with alumni support in May 2021, TFC is completely independent of VMI as a state school and the VMI Alumni Agencies. It offered the Commandant a non-voting seat on its BOV to encourage transparency and complete reporting. Based on its mission TFC intends to apply to the VMI Board of Visitors for the same associated organization status currently assigned to those agencies as a means to better coordinate its support to the VMI Family and The Cadet newspaper it was founded to serve.