Corporate body

Peak Publications Society

1973 -

The Peak, Simon Fraser University's student newspaper, began from a merger of two earlier student publications: The Tartan, which appeared on September 17, 1965, and The SF View, first published on October 4 of that year. The editorial teams from both newspapers produced an October 13 edition with the headline "Name Your Student Newspaper." One week later, the first issue of The Peak appeared.

The Peak had several notable achievements early in its history. When it joined Canadian University Press at its 28th conference in December 1965, The Peak became the first student newspaper to be accepted to CUP as a full member after such a short existence. One year later, on December 15, 1966, the Peak Publications Society became incorporated under the Societies Act of British Columbia. The Peak thereby became the first student newspaper in Canada to be incorporated.

From its inception, the Peak Publications Society has been governed by a Board of Directors. As of 1999, the Board includes three at-large representatives elected in a general election, one alumni representative appointed by the Alumni Association, two representatives from the Peak collective, and one representative from the Peak employees. The Board sets financial policy.

In the early years of The Peak, a group of editors and writers, carried out the production of the newspaper. For a period of time in the 1970s and 1980s individually named editors and staff were replaced by an anonymous collective. The Peak is currently produced by a Collective, which makes editorial decision through consensus and elects editors and area coordinators. The Collective is made up of all of The Peak's permanent employees and any student who has participated in two of the last five issues of the paper.

The Peak newspaper has always been the main product of the Peak Publications Society although the Society has issued other publications such as the Terminal City Express, the Peak Student Handbook and, most recently, The Tartan magazine. The magazine, which bears the name of the former student newspaper, published its first issue in the fall of 2015.

Housed for many years in portable trailers The Peak received new office space in the Maggie Benston Student Services Centre in 1994. The Peak Publications Society was also long dependent on the Simon Fraser Student Society for funding. The University collected money from students and disbursed the funds to the SFSS, which then forwarded the money to the Peak under contractual agreement. The Peak gained a greater measure of freedom and financial autonomy following a student referendum on March 24, 1995. As a result of the voting, all students automatically became members of the Peak Publications Society rather than just those students who signed the Society Membership Register. The referendum guaranteed that the University would collect a subscription fee paid by the students and pass it to The Peak directly. Peak Office space was also guaranteed in the referendum.

Revised by Rita Mogyorosi (January 2016).