The student newspaper of the London School of Economics, The Beaver, is at risk of closure after it was announced it will no longer receive any funding from the university’s student union from this September.

SU funding had previously been used to cover the costs of printing, managing the website and producing podcasts, and its planned withdrawal has left editors fearing that the newspaper will have to close operations.

The Beaver is a  prestigious student newspapers, with a 70-year history of reporting that has given students the space to express their views and hold power to account within the university.

Editors have argued that other sources of funding suggested by the student union would not be viable.

The current low levels of demand for student advertising combined with the limited frequency and volume of publishing means necessary funds cannot come from advertising revenue.

Editors at the paper have also noted that charging membership fees would go against The Beaver’s mission to be an essential source of information for all students and would lead to an “unacceptable barrier to engagement”.

Despite the decision made by the SU, The Beaver editors remain resolute on securing the future of the paper. They have started a petition to call for a student union meeting to amend the bye-laws to guarantee sufficient funding.

The petition received over 600 students “from current students and alumni that fondly remember the newspaper as an integral part of their student experience” and has not been forwarded to the LSE SU board of trustees.

The editors of The Beaver also intend to publish an open letter on behalf of ex-Beaver editors, LSE alumni, and other UK student publications to appeal for further support.

Last term, Durham’s student newspaper, Palatinate, made a bid for their own independence from their student union during an ongoing legal battle and two years of funding cuts.

Varsity does not receive any funding from, and is completely independent of, Cambridge's Student Union unlike the majority of other student newspapers.