living, and strives to guarantee equal job opportunities and human rights." CUP members may join CWA Canada as an associate member in order to join its mentorship program with professional journalists, attend training and networking courses and events, and seek opportunities for internships and freelance work. The CWA representative for CUP also helps members coordinate training opportunities at their publication. CUP also has partnerships with Journalists for Human Rights, Marketwired, and ScribbleLive. Financial crisis of 2014 In March 2014, CUP launched a 42-day fundraising campaign on the platform Indiegogo in an attempt to raise $50,000 toward its operating budget after finding itself in a financial crisis. Beginning 1 March, all 12 of CUP's part-time staff members (including section editors and regional bureau chiefs) were laid off, and the president and national bureau chief received cuts to their salaries and benefits. After an audit by the Canada Revenue Agency, CUP was forced to pay $9,000 for incorrect taxes. It was then discovered that the organization was projecting its third deficit in a row, this time for $7,000. With all of its savings now spent, CUP stated that "with no reserves to draw on, it's imperative for the existence of CUP to take action now." The crisis comes not long after 10 members of CUP left in September 2013, resulting in a 15 per cent drop in total membership, due to complaints over high membership costs. CUP may also see further trouble as a number of those member publications have now formed a service called the National University Wire similar to and rivaling the CUP wire. The most recent CUP national conference in Edmonton, Alta. also attracted fewer than the expected number of delegates and therefore did not generate as much revenue as expected. Additionally, the demise of Campus Plus left CUP with fewer dividends to generate income. With all this having taken place in a relatively short period of time, CUP lost more than $70,000 in three years and ended up in financial and existential crisis with just more than $1,500 in the bank before the fundraising campaign. CUP Presidents CUP 73 Erin Cauchi (The Strand) CUP 72 Rob Fishbook (the Fulcrum) CUP 71 Rob Fishbook (the Fulcrum) CUP 70 Amanda McCuaig (the Peak) CUP 69 Erin Millar (the Capilano Courier) CUP 68 Sean Patrick Sullivan (the Martlet/the Brunswickan) CUP 67 Chris Dinn (the Muse) CUP 66 Craig Battle (the Martlet)