Union Tribune Article about The Koala, October 17, 1993

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Nothing Changes, check out a Union Tribune Article from 1993 about The Koala:

Munching on UCSD life, tabloid eschews good taste
By STEVE SCHMIDT Staff Writer

A Page 3 story describes an exercise video, "Sweatin' to the Oldies 4," starring UCSD Chancellor Richard Atkinson.

On Page 7, Barney the dinosaur pals around with madman Charles Manson.

On Page 12, well, we can't tell you what's happening there, what with the Union-Tribune being a family newspaper.

It must be another issue of The Koala, a farcical and off-color institution at the University of California San Diego that leaves some students laughing and others seething.

Like it or not, the humor tabloid — now in its 12th year — is thought by some to be the most closely read student publication at the school.

"It's the most popular paper on campus," said Randy Woodard, campus media adviser and director of student government services. "As soon as The Koala is delivered, it's gone."

Koala staff on Thursday circulated the second issue of the school year. Within 90 minutes, many of the copies evaporated.

The latest issue includes a satirical look at the 1970s, a list of the "striking similarities" between Ronald McDonald and exercisemeister Richard Simmons and a page of largely X-rated personals submitted by UCSD students.

Many students say the tabloid provides much-needed relief, however lowbrow at times, from a campus that can often appear humorless and overly pretentious

"This place needs to lighten up," sophomore David Rose said. "The Koala has good issues and bad issues, but there's usually something funny in it."

Others aren't amused. Student Tram Nguyen said some students "would like to see it disappear." Nguyen, a member of the Women's Resource Center on campus, fears the paper feeds prejudice by satirizing various groups on campus, including radical feminists and gays.

Two years ago, a large group of feminists held a topless protest march on campus, alerting students to the problem of date rape and other violence against women.
Responding to the "Take Back the Night" march, the tabloid ran a picture of the backsides of four nude men. The headline: "Bring Back the Moon."

"To me, it's sad it is so widely read," Nguyen said. The tabloid, she said, makes many students laugh, but does so "by exploiting other people's painful experiences."
Others ignore the publication altogether.

"It's just not funny," said one homosexual student.

Media adviser Woodard agrees that some of its material is weak, but noted that "every now and then they hit a target right on and it's really well-written and funny."
"We're all adults here. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it."

Koala writers consider themselves equal-opportunity satirists, noting that many groups on campus take some sort of hit on their pages — jocks, fraternity brothers, administrators, science majors and others.

"A lot of people think we do things just for the shock value, but for the most part we don't print things unless they're funny," said Steve Lutz, Koala editor in chief.

Page 3 of every issue is filled with Lettermanesque lists: "The Bottom Five Breakfast Cereals" (No. 1 on the list: Kellogg's Cracklin' Fish Jerky); "Top Five New Slogans for UCSD Cafeterias" (No. 4: It's E. Coli-licious!!); and the "Top Five Perks of Being UC President" (No. 3: Free "Buns of Steel" workout tape).

Much of what The Koala prints is untouchable by this newspaper, particularly the barroom-style references to certain bodily functions and fluids.
Another Koala staple is party reviews. Writers critique the after-hours scene among UCSD students.

One positive review regarding a recent party in Mira Mesa began: "Another shining example of the First Law of Party Physics: If you buy a keg, they will come."

The Koala staff plans to publish about a dozen times this school year. The student government covers the printing costs and those of several other campus publications with special fees paid by UCSD students.

Among the other publications is a new humor magazine called SPITE, the brainchild of a former Koala writer.

Students started The Koala 12 years ago, deciding to name it after the marsupial associated with eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus are common on the La Jolla campus.

The all-volunteer staff works out of a small, cluttered room on campus that looks more like a clubhouse than a newspaper office.

A velvet painting of a bullfighter hangs on one wall, bordered by posters. An Atari video game set sits on the floor. At night, the staff plugs in a strobe light.
Lining one side of the room is a wooden bar with a cooler tucked behind it.

Members of the all-volunteer staff said they spend whatever advertising money they earn on beer.

One day last week, editor Lutz turned to his colleagues gathered in the office, a Hamm's in his hand, and wondered why they bother to put out the long-running publication.

Lutz: "Does anyone know why we do this?"

Said one writer: "Free beer."

Added another: "The fulfillment of artistic expression — and free beer."

Lutz: "I guess it's just something to do."

Ed Note: We still have the velvet painting of the bullfighter, and we still do it for the beer.