Rising levels of student debt could damage one of Britain's oldest traditions - the student newspaper - according to leaders of the recently created Student Press Association.
Chris Wright, Spa chair and former managing editor of Sussex University's student publications, The Badger and The Pulse, said that students had less time to devote to student media because financial straits mean that much of their free time is devoted to paid employment.
"A commitment to a student newspaper can take up an awful lot of time, and there is a real danger that students will not be able to take part if they cannot afford to eat," Mr Wright said.
"Funding is one of the largest problems facing student newspapers in this country, while many United States student journalists are taken on as paid members of staff," he added.
Despite the growing number of sabbatical editorships available, most student publications still depend on undergraduates giving up their weekends.
Spa, which was launched last autumn, is an independent body designed to represent and support more than 160 student publications and 20,000 student journalists.
Mr Wright, Spa's co-founder, developed the organisation as an international relations undergraduate at Sussex University. "I found it extraordinary that a national association did not already exist, even though some of the publications are more than 100 years old. There is no real communication between different publications, and because of this you feel quite isolated," Mr Wright said.
As well as offering training courses for editors and an audit of student newspapers, Spa also hopes to encourage former student journalists to join an alumni network.
It will operate independently of the National Union of Students, despite the prominent role that the union has played in annual student media awards.