After 126 years of chronicling campus life, Cougar traditions, and the faces that defined Washington State University, the Chinook yearbook has officially been discontinued.
First published in 1899, the Chinook served as one of WSU’s longest-standing traditions: a visual time capsule capturing student stories, campus events, and the evolution of Pullman over generations. Except this year, the WSU Board of Student Media voted to dismantle the yearbook following years of declining sales and student engagement.
The decision marks the end of an era that began at the dawn of the millennium. For many, the Chinook’s closure is both a practical and emotional loss.
“I think a lot of people didn’t even know WSU still had a yearbook,” said Luke Galloway, a junior communications major. “When people hear ‘Chinook,’ they think of the gym or the building, not a yearbook. I didn’t realize it still existed until I saw something about it online.”
Galloway believes the decline reflects a generational shift in how students document their experiences.
“Everything’s on our phones now, Snapchat memories, Instagram stories, TikToks,” he said. “It’s not that people don’t care about memories; it’s that we capture them differently.”
Part of the confusion surrounding the Chinook may have come from how students purchased it. For years, the yearbook was bundled with other student fees during class registration, often tucked within small checkboxes that included sports passes and campus activity fees.
Many students were unaware they had even purchased a copy, contributing to the low pickup rate.
“It’s frustrating that students were charged for something they didn’t realize they were buying,” Galloway said. “If no one knows they have it, of course, no one’s going to pick it up.”
Still, not everyone agrees that the end of the Chinook was inevitable. Carson Adams, a senior business major, said he felt disappointed when he heard the news.
“The Chinook has been around since the 1800s. It’s part of our university’s identity,” Adams said. “It’s sad that it’s ending because of low engagement. Not everything has to be digital; there’s something special about having a physical book you can look back on years later.”
Adams said he understands the practical reasons behind the decision but believes the university could have done more to preserve the tradition.
“I think if more people knew about it or could see how cool it was, sales might’ve gone up,” he said. “Even having a digital version that people could personalize, or download, might’ve kept it alive.”
Paige Lajeunesse, a PR student, said that she was not aware that the yearbook was ending. She bought yearbooks from her middle and high schools, but never felt inclined to purchase WSU’s.
“I didn’t buy it because I didn’t think I’d be in it,” Lajeuneese said.
Now, as the yearbook fades into university history, its absence raises questions about how future Cougars will remember their time in Pullman.
“Maybe this is just the natural evolution of how we preserve memories,” Galloway said. “But I think we’re losing something in the process, that feeling of flipping through a book that connects you to everyone who came before.”
With the Chinook now closed, its legacy will live on in archives, alumni collections and the handful of students who still have their copies. For many on campus, it’s a bittersweet reminder that traditions, like memories, change with time.
