The Brunswickan is the official student newspaper of the Fredericton campus of the University of New Brunswick, New Brunswick, Canada. Founded in 1867, it has a circulation of 4,000 and issues are published on the first Wednesday each month, traditionally running 8 issues annually.
Overview A founding member of the Canadian University Press, The Brunswickan remains one of the largest community newspapers in Atlantic Canada, and among the largest in Canada, well out-of-proportion to the size of its home campus. In January 2009, the paper switched from broadsheet to tabloid format in response to financial pressures, and in an effort to reduce its impact on the environment. The Brunswickan subsequently dropped its circulation from 10,000 to 6,000 issues per week later that month, and again to 5,000 in 2012. Circulation dropped again to 4,000 in September 2013. By the 2024-25 publishing term, print runs dropped to 200 copies per issue, underscoring both the shift toward digital content and the continued financial pressures on The Brunswickan.
The Brunswickan was founded in 1867 and is the oldest Canadian student publisher. At the time of its foundation, the University of New Brunswick had still been known as King's College.
Regional rival, The Dalhousie Gazette at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, claims the title of "oldest student newspaper in Canada." The Gazette has published consecutively since 1868, whereas there are significant gaps in the publishing history of The Brunswickan.
During the Strax affair of 1968-69 two students were charged with contempt of court over an article published in the Brunswickan that questioned the objectivity of the New Brunswick courts. Both were found guilty. The editor, John Oliver, was fined $50 and required to print a retraction. The author, Tom Murphy, was sentenced to ten days in jail.In the past, members of the paper have been referred to as "brunsies," a term of pride and affection for some.
Among its notable alumni are Colin B. Mackay, Bliss Carman, Charles G. D. Roberts, Dalton Camp, Fredrik Eaton, Nathan White, Donald Pringle and Kwame Dawes.
The Brunswickan has a sister-publication, The Baron, at the other UNB campus, UNB Saint John.
The Brunswickan has a good-natured rivalry with The Aquinian, the campus newspaper for St. Thomas University which is also located on Fredericton's college hill.
Editors in Chief 2025-26Emmanuel Joseph2024-25Joel Rumson2023-24Sofia Erickson2022-23Taylor Lynn Chalker2021-22Michael Harlan2020-21Ally Buchanan2019-20Brad Ackerson2018-19Book Sadprasid*2017-18Emma McPhee2016-17Adam Travis2015-16Emma McPhee2014-15Tess Allen2013-14Nick Murray2012-13Sandy Chase2011-12Christopher Cameron2010-11Colin McPhail2009-10Sarah Ratchford2008-09Josh O’Kane2007-08Jennifer McKenzie2006-07Tony von Richter (interim) / Michele Legendre / Tony von Richter (interim) / David Arthurs2005-06Brendan Doyle2004-05Patrick Reinartz2003-04Sean Patrick Sullivan2002-03Sean Patrick Sullivan2001-02Cindy Brown2000-01Cindy Brown1999-00Joseph Wilfred John FitzPatrick III1998-99Joseph Wilfred John FitzPatrick III1997-98Joseph Wilfred John FitzPatrick III1996-97Mary Rogal-Black / Joseph W. J. FitzPatrick III1995-96Mark Morgan1994-95Al Johnstone1993-94Karen Burgess1992-93Allan Carter1991-92Kwame Dawes1990-91Kwame Dawes1989-90Kwame Dawes1988-89Stéphane Comeau1987-88Mark Stevens / Ernest Dunphy1986-87Ken Quigley1985-86Richard Hutchins1984-85Dave Mazerolle1983-84Mike MacKinnon1982-83Christie Walker1981-82Susan Reed1980-81Bob MacMillan1979-80Joey Kilfoil1978-79Kathy Wakeling1977-78Sheenagh Murphy1976-77Sarah Ingersoll1975-76Ed Werthman (one-half term) / Tom Benjamin1974-75Susan Manzer1973-74Edison Stewart (resigned)1972-73Chris J. Allen1971-72Edison Stewart1970-71Peter Collum1969-70Dave Jonah1968-69Ian Ferguson1967-68Allan B. Pressman1966-67Sharon Wyman1965-66Gary Davis1964-65Roger Mills1963-64Russell Irvine1962-63Edward Bell1961-62Jack Oliver1960-61Gordan Howse1959-60Dave Folster1958-59James O’Sullivan1957-58J. Barry Toole1956-57J. Barry Toole1955-56Fred Drummie1954-55Dave MacDonald1953-54Neil Marsh Oakley1952-53Betty Lou Vincent1951-52Neil Oakley1950-51Eric Godwin1949-50Ralph Hay1948-49Murray Jones1947-48Vernon Mullin1946-47Dalton Camp1945-46Henry B. Durost1944-45John H. Lawrence1943-44Ralph F. Crowther1942-43Fred W. Davidson1941-42Colin B. MacKay1940-41Manzer Bunker1939-40Mary T. McMenamon1938-39Lester G. Hoar1937-38J. Harrison Thurrot1936-37Lester G. Hoar1935-36Horace Block1934-35Bill Morrissy1933-34Gerald Waring1932-33Fred W. Fenety1931-32J. Dudley Kingsley1930-31Jack Limerick1929-30A. W. Slipp1928-29D. H. Smith1927-28Burton Kierstead1926-27R. R. Henderson1925-26Thomas Foulkes1924-25Randolph B. Lutz1923-24John D. Harrison1922-23C. M. Burpee1921-22A. C. Holman1920-21K. B. Seely1919-20N. D. Cass1918-19Joseph Sears1917-18J. G. Bruce1916-17A. D. Foster1915-16C. R. Townsend1914-15J. A. Hanebry1913-14G. T. Christie1912-13G. T. Mitton1911-12J. F. McIntosh1910-11G. F. G. Bridges1909-10M. B. Dunn1908-09D. G. Willet1907-08W. A. Haines1906-07C. H. Turner1905-06J. P. Mooney1904-05F. C. Cronkite1903-04M. MacC. Baird1902-03Don Jamer / Fred W. Fenety / J. Dudley Kingsley / Jack Limerick1901-02A. W. Slipp / D. H. Smith1900-01Burton Kierstead / R. R. Henderson1899-1900Thomas Foulkes / Randolph B. Lutz1898-99John D. Harrison / C. M. Burpee1897-98A. C. Holman / K. B. Seely1896-97N. D. Cass / Joseph Sears1895-96J. G. Bruce / A. D. Foster1894-95C. R. Townsend1893-94J. A. Hanebry1892-93G. T. Christie1891-92G. T. Mitton1890-91J. F. McIntosh1889-90G. F. G. Bridges1888-89M. B. Dunn1887-88D. G. Willet1886-87W. A. Haines1885-86C. H. Turner1884-85J. P. Mooney1883-84F. C. Cronkite1882-83M. MacC. BairdApril 1882Lester G. Hoar1867Sir George Foster In 2018, two senior staff (Brad Ackerson and Maria Araujo) oversaw the publication but no official replacement was hired for the duration of the year.
Sections News: Campus and off-campus coverage of student issues and noteworthy happenings, as well as breaking stories. Opinion: Editorials, regular columns, and letters to the editor, usually focusing on student and social issues, as well as activism. Arts & Culture: Covers community, social issues, culture, arts, and events. Sports: Covers University sports in collaboration with Atlantic University Sports (AUS). Occasional features are also published that vary in relevant subject matter and tie into different sections.
See also List of student newspapers in Canada List of newspapers in Canada
References
External links
Old Brunswickan issues online in PDF format The Baron