Contests

I think one of the ways the college paper can maintain prominence is through winning awards. Here is a site that has gathered information on several.

The awards and information on how to enter them on this page include Associated Collegiate Press, College Photographer of the Year, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Hearst awards, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society for Collegiate Journalists, the Society for News Design, the Society of Professional Journalists and many others.

I would also seek to get students and the paper entered into state contests, like AP-One and SPJ Oklahoma.

Additionally, there are tons of niche contests. I once entered a $1,000 media contest sponsored by the (I swear I am not making this up) American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. I got beat by Dave Barry. True story! But you never know when a story will fit the very narrow criteria of certain organizations, and many of them have a student division.

Like the Society of Environmental Journalists' $1,000 award for Outstanding Student Reporting
or the Religion Newswriters Association's $600 Chandler Award for college media.

I think the adviser can boost the students individually and the paper as a whole by being the awards go-to guy. Or gal, as the case may be.