By Julia Mericle
Assignment News Editor
The Student Government Association (SGA) cancelled The Bonadieu, St. Bonaventure’s yearbook, for the 2014-2015 academic year.
According to Rob DeFazio, director of the center for activities, recreation and leadership, college-level yearbooks have been declining in popularity.
“With the advancements in social media and instantaneous feedback and pictures from smartphones and other electronic devices, there is no reason to wait to see the same information in a book that is produced many months after graduation,” DeFazio said.
Alexander Noguerola, SGA president, said he agreed that social media has impacted the concept of yearbooks, taking away from the way they used to capture memories.
DeFazio said The Bonadieu received $32,000 every year and SGA will reallocate those funds to other chartered clubs and organizations.
Noguerola said the clubs that will receive an increase in funds have not been decided yet.
According to Noguerola, the cancellation of The Bonadieu was necessary.
“We were unable to produce a high-quality book in a timely manner and can now use that money to be reallocated to other activities that students might more readily enjoy and benefit from,” Noguerola, a senior political science major, said.
According to the St. Bonaventure archivist, the yearbook began in 1928 as an addition to The Laurel, St. Bonaventure’s literary arts magazine.
The Bonadieu has not missed a year of publication since 1947.
According to the archivist, the yearbook is a major historical resource.
Riley Eike, editor of The Bonadieu, has been the only member of the yearbook for a semester and a half. She said she is disappointed by the cancellation of the yearbook.
She said she recruited nine new members to the organization to finish the 2014 yearbook in March.
“A yearbook is a piece of history all students at Bonaventure should be entitled to,” Eike, a sophomore journalism and mass communication major, said.
DeFazio said the cancellation of The Bonadieu in a printed book format is permanent.
“I cannot say what the future holds, but there are not plans to continue [the yearbook] as of now,” DeFazio said.
Noguerola said alternatives may be explored in the future.
