When Hannah Alani found out the Indiana Daily Student was going to reduce its print frequency from five to two days a week, she wasn't upset.
As editor-in-chief, Alani had seen her staff struggling to fill a print product that had fewer and fewer advertisements. Desk editors were skipping class to cover events that were barely newsworthy just so there was enough editorial content for the next edition.
A printing contract with The Herald-Times and a few prepaid advertisements ensured Indiana University's 150-year-old student newspaper would continue printing five days a week through the spring 2017 semester. But Alani, after being informed of the decision by student media director Ron Johnson, would be tasked with breaking the news to her staff.
She planned to do it during Slash, the regular Friday meeting where the five most recent editions are evaluated and the next five are planned. Going through that meeting, using five different colored markers to write down stories for the next week, Alani started to think about how things were going to change.
The newsroom wasn't just an office, it was a place where students collaborated, ate meals and formed bonds. Without a daily print deadline, Alani wondered how often students would need to come in.
When it came time to make the announcement, she looked at all the faces in front of her.
"This isn't sad news," she said.
Then, she started to cry.