The Calliope, the campus literary magazine, publishes student-submitted works including poems, short stories, photographs and artwork. The Calliope editors make suggested revisions to the author, and the revised work can be selected in the next issue.

In Spring 2025, Calliope got a notice that their money has been decreased by the Student Government Association or the SGA Finance Committee. Calliope depends on the money that they receive from the SGA to print physical copies of Calliope.

“For the last 20 years or so they have always given us between $2500 to $3000 which is what it costs to have 500 copies of the Calliope printed and shipped to us. We gave them last year’s invoice, but they only gave us $500,” said Richard Madigan, faculty adviser of the Calliope.

Madigan said the group may bring Calliope online instead of a physical copy, but they are unsure. This idea is something that Calliope has been brainstorming for some time, to get their name out there and make it more accessible to people.

“Going online will save a lot of money, but there is something about having a book in your hand,” Madigan said.

The audience of the Calliope is small, so the SGA and other people might not know that much of the Calliope said Madigan. In most of his classes Madigan will ask people to take the most recent issue of Calliope and spread it around to anyone or anywhere.

At the Spring 2025 budgeting meeting, the SGA was asking multiple questions, like what the Calliope would do with the 500 copies that are received and how many different people and members contribute to the Calliope every year?

“The Treasurer [of the Calliope] who attended the budget meeting was unable to provide answers and was ultimately unable to convince the Finance Committee that the Calliope needed $2,500 in printing,” said Thomas Kish, SGA finance chairman, in an email.

Calliope and other student-led groups that would like to appeal their budget can start requesting in November.

In past years, Calliope would bring different poets out to ESU to read a collection of their work. This has stopped due to the SGA only giving money for the printing. A lot of people would contribute money to this event per Madigan’s request every year, like the English department, the dean of arts and sciences and Kemp Library.

“We are debating on doing some kind of fundraisers, maybe appealing to SGA,” said Ashley Larson, co-president of the Calliope.

Larson also wants to keep making physical copies of the Calliope, but it is going to be unlikely with the budget cut.

Kish proposes to Calliope that they attain more information about how they distribute the copies of the Calliope, and he recommends looking into fundraising opportunities.

The latest issue of Calliope is in the beginning stages of being printed and if it cannot be printed it will be a PDF form or another digital copy. If Calliope can be printed it will be spread out around various locations on campus.

Submissions to the Calliope can be sent to submittoesucalliope@gmail.com.

Questions about the budget can be directed to the SGA at sgapresident@live.esu.edu or tkish@live.esu.edu.

For more information it can be found on the Calliope’s Warriorlink page at https://warriorlink.esu.edu/organization/calliope.