The future of the University of Chicago’s student-operated radio station, WHPK 88.5, is in question after a drastic budget cut at the hands of the university’s Program Coordinating Council. Despite a proposed budget of around $57,000, consistent with a decade-long funding trend, the station will receive only $20,600 for the coming school year.
This allocation does not include funds for new equipment and has severely reduced spending for live events. It has also resulted in the defunding of the WHPK magazine, Signal, and terminated the station’s Google Workspace subscription, according to WHPK Station Manager Christian Bird.
Bird, along with the station management, has made an appeal directly to the University of Chicago’s Center for Leadership and Involvement head, warning about the potential lasting damage to the university-owned radio equipment due to the missing $37,000. Hundreds of students, alumni, and South Side residents who rely heavily on the station have signed this appeal.
If any key equipment fails, leading to radio silence, the station risks violating FCC licensing rules.
The Program Coordinating Council claims that the budget cut only leaves what is necessary for base operations. They argue that last year the station did not report the pandemic-induced budget rollover correctly and unnecessarily spent excess funds on in-person events instead of equipment repair.
Bird, alongside other station managers, vehemently disagrees with these accusations, stating they have provided proof that all unused pandemic-era funds were reported and utilized correctly.
