The New York Times is to make the paid-for TimesSelect area of the site available free to college students and faculties in the US with an .edu e-mail address.

TimesSelect hosts the Times newspaper's archives and is home to exclusive columns, previews as well as tracking and storing tools.

"We want students to have unfettered access to the full, rich content of The New York Times, especially the varied opinions expressed by the 22 columnists whose voices are heard through TimesSelect," said Vivian Schiller, general manager of NYTimes.com.

"We hope the ideas presented by our columnists will spark dialogue on campuses across the country and encourage students to consider their own opinions on the issues of the day, from the situation in Darfur to events happening closer to home."

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