 "Photo: Henriette Mutegwaraba")
The president of the Student Government Association, political science sophomore Julianne Cantu, purchased her student government shirt for $3.
Cantu and the rest of the student government members went to Hobby Lobby and bought their T-shirts on sale for $3.
They brought their T-shirts and logos designed by graphic design sophomore Krystal Bonoan to the garment printing press located in Loftin Student Center, and with the assistance of a student life coordinator, printed their shirts for free.
“Normally it would cost $12-$20 to get a shirt, but this time it cost $3,” Cantu said.
Aaron Tavitas, assistant coordinator of student leadership and activities, said in the last few years clubs, organizations and sports team have been spending a lot of money on T-shirts.
“All students have to do is bring in their own design and shirt, then schedule a time to print,” he said.
Students do not have to wait for outside T-shirt vendors to print their campus organization shirts anymore. They often want to print five to 10 shirts.
It is a long process to do that, said Tyler Archer, assistant coordinator of student leadership and activities.
“The best part is the speed. It’s nice not to have to wait for purchase orders,” she said.
Jorge Posadas, director of student life, said the machine cost from $9,000 to $10,000 and it is intended for T-shirt industries, but student life was motivated to purchase it because T-shirts for clubs and organizations were expensive and took forever to be printed.
“We would spend $18,000 in T-shirts a year. We thought this would be more cost-effective,” he said.
Because it is made for a business, the machine calculates how much ink is spent on a T-shirt, Posadas said.
Tavitas said, “If they lost a shirt or two and need a quick print, they easily can come here, while a printing company charges an arm or a leg.”
With the new T-shirt printing press, one ink bottle can print up to 800 shirts.
“We made sure to have enough ink to last us the entire year,” Tavitas said.
Posadas said, “Next year, if we spend $600 on ink, we save from spending $18,000 — the machine just paid for itself.”
The garment press also gives students the academic freedom to be creative, Posadas said.
Archer said, “I think it puts them more in control of the artwork, what kind of T-shirt and how it is going to come out.”
Students first come in with T-shirts and a logo design, which must be 500 pixels or better, and are assisted by a coordinator on how to work the printing press.
There are three stations students are assigned to: one person is at the computer, another at the heat rack and one at the printing rack.
“It normally takes one to two shirts to get it just right,” Archer said. “Once you have it where you want it, it comes out exactly the same.”
Cantu said the student government T-shirt reads “no strings attached,” a logo that defies Chancellor Bruce Leslie’s statement on allowing students to speak publicly at board meetings if they are just going to do whatever the faculty will do.
“We are not puppets. We do what we think is right,” she said.
“We appreciated our shirts more because we knew we did that.”
Posadas said St. Mary’s University plans to open a T-shirt shop next year, so officials came to San Antonio College to see how the printing shop works here.
The press is only open to clubs, sports and organizations at this college.
To schedule a time with a student life assistant to use the T-shirt printing press, call the office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 486-0125.
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