All Fordham University students now have access to a free New York Times (NYT) subscription. The subscription comes out of a collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs and The Parents Fund.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fordham participated in the New York Times Readership Program, in which print copies of the New York Times were available in the lobby of each dorm on both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. The NYT canceled the program in the aftermath of the pandemic, leading to Fordham’s ultimate decision to finance a virtual subscription for all students.

Fordham’s Dean of Students, Christopher Rodgers, was a major catalyst in the implementation of this new program. Creating a free NYT subscription for students had been a long-term goal for the administration, with the only question regarding funding.

After meeting with a colleague in the Development and University Relations department on the matter, Rodgers was connected with The Parents Fund, a group who were looking to get more involved with the student body. Through funding from both The Parents Fund and the Division of Student Affairs, a free NYT subscription for all Fordham students was born.

Rodgers said that as a result of the program, students now take time to engage with the world, keep up with current events, stay informed and have a ready resource available across all devices.

He mentioned that the NYT has created this program specifically for college students and that it is a great way to develop a lifelong habit of reading the paper and staying informed.

Several Fordham students have said they are glad to be receiving the new, free subscription. Janel Codjoe, GSB ’24, said, “I don’t normally read it [the NYT], but for paper research purposes it will definitely be helpful.”

Brittany Torres, GSB ’24, echoed her claims, saying the new subscription will definitely come in handy.

Emma Homgren, FCRH ’25, said she signed up for it, “I think the subscription will be very beneficial for all students. I’m often asked to use a newspaper in assignments, like finding a current article or a news event that has happened, and I have no source. Now I’ll have access.”

Although students are grateful to have been granted basic NYT access, some have expressed their dismay at the exclusion of access to The Crossword, a popular NYT game, and The Athletic, the sports section.

Students can register for the free subscription by creating an account with their Fordham email address and inputting their graduation year.

Through the subscription, Fordham students are granted access to the newspaper itself, as well as the NYT Archives, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality media, multiple NYT Podcasts and Newsletters and Spanish and Mandarin Chinese versions of the newspaper.