UTD administrators remove over 20 newspaper kiosks

UTD removed Mercury-branded newspaper kiosks from across campus Jan. 22 after The Retrograde’s Jan. 21 announcement that it would use the kiosks to distribute its first-ever print issue.

The Mercury functioned as UTD’s student newspaper from its founding in 1980 until its abrupt end in September 2024, when campus administrators fired all Mercury staff in response to staff members going on strike. The Retrograde has since been recognized as UTD’s new official student newspaper by Student Government. 

The Mercury operated and maintained 43 unique kiosk locations across campus. Kiosks took the form of the standard Mercury-branded plastic green kiosks, older wooden kiosks and new stands shared by Mercury and AMP. Campus administration removed all Mercury-branded kiosks except the kiosk outside the SU near Starbucks and a wooden stand in the SU’s Comet Cafe. 

Ellie Maguire, AMP assistant marketing director and neuroscience junior, provided photo evidence to The Retrograde that the university was storing the confiscated kiosks inside the Student Media office’s Mercury workroom as of midday Jan. 23. The Retrograde did not send its own staff to confirm due to Jenni Huffenberger, student affairs senior director of marketing and student media, stating Jan. 22 that she would call UTDPD on any Retrograde staff that entered the Student Media office.

The Retrograde reached out to the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Communications for comment on the situation. As of publication, no comment has been provided. The Retrograde will update this article with additional information as it is received. 

This is a breaking news story. The Retrograde will provide more details as new information emerges.