NIU students who live in the dorms can pick up a Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune or a New York Times near their own front desk every morning. The stack of Trib’s is somewhat larger and many times a student can still grab one in the afternoon.

Donald Bond, who received his doctorate in educational administration at Ohio State University, stood behind a table at Holmes Student Center across from Papa John’s Tuesday.

He was selling subscriptions to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I’m retired, but I still like being around you kids. And the money pays for my golf outings,” Bond said.

Bond is selling subscriptions because the Sun-Times cannot distribute its paper free to students due to a contract NIU has with the Tribune. Sandy Mather, educational services manager for the Sun-Times, has the paper delivered free of charge to several state universities, but not NIU.

“The Tribune submitted a proposal that included exclusivity,” Mather said. “We would love to be a part of the college reading program currently running at NIU.”

Despite the fact that the Sun-Times isn’t free, the subscription rates are affordable.

Bond doesn’t understand why students don’t take advantage of the cheap subscription.

“The Sun-Times is a great paper. It’s a fast read & they put all the important facts up front, and there’s a balance of liberal and conservative writers,” Bond said. “Sports is always on the back page & you can sit on the bus and read this paper.”

Courtney Watson, a freshman nursing student, reads the Tribune.

“It’s familiar,” Watson said.

Freshman undecided major Sarah Matthies agreed.

Freshman psychology major Shayla Steward reads Variety, “because I love New York and the plays,” Steward said.

“I watch TV for the news because it’s more available, but I trust the newspapers more,” anthropology major Erin Worth said. “I read the Bollingbrook Sun because my parents get it delivered.”

Inevitably, Bond sometimes gets scammed by students.

“No, I can’t bill you,” Bond said. “A lot of times people keep the free T-Shirt and cancel the subscription.”