What is Canadian University Press (CUP)?

Updated

Canadian University Press (CUP) is a nonprofit cooperative owned by student newspapers at post-secondary schools across Canada. It connects student publications nationwide and provides benefits such as advocacy, legal support, mentorship, and journalism projects to its member papers. CUP is relevant if you run or write for a Canadian student publication and want national networking, resources, or conference opportunities.

What CUP is and who it serves

CUP describes itself as North America's oldest national student organization, founded in 1938 and now in its 88th year. It was originally formed to create a network of Canadian student newspapers to share ideas, and it continues to focus on connecting student publications across the country.

Its members are student publications based across 8 provinces: Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

What members get

According to CUP, member benefits include:

  • CWA membership
  • Advocacy and outreach
  • Legal support
  • The chance to participate in pan-Canadian journalism projects
  • Mentorship and more

Members are also invited to regional meetings throughout the year to share ideas and learn from each other.

Conferences and awards

CUP hosts NASH, which it describes as Canada's largest student journalism conference. Each year NASH is hosted by CUP in collaboration with a member paper, and it gives student-journalists the chance to learn from media professionals, network with peers, and attend the annual JHM Awards (the John H. MacDonald Excellence in Student Journalism awards).

How CUP is run

CUP is administered remotely by a volunteer board made up of members from various student papers across Canada. It does not operate in a physical space.

How to join or get in touch

For information about joining CUP — including fees fit for your publication, getting your team set up on Slack, and questions about membership benefits — CUP directs inquiries to [email protected]. The site also offers a contact form for messages.

If you're deciding whether CUP is worth pursuing for your paper, the practical next step is to email [email protected] with your publication's details and ask about fees and membership setup, since pricing is not published on the site.