“You there! I bet you’re creative.”
And so it reads on Vaughn Center’s second floor bulletin board at the University of Tampa.
Posts ranging from Latino Bible studies to the Spring Dance Concert scatter the board. The poet searching for creativity presented blank lines for students to write three-word phrases, hoping to find a subtitle for his or her piece.
Bible study attendance may increase, but not necessarily due to the bulletin board.
In today’s world of multifaceted communication, students can find information from a variety of sources. Facebook groups and events are a simple way to stay informed – who doesn’t have a profile these days? If the Internet were to shut down, students would need to turn to the old-fashioned bulletin board for academic and social news. In an era of text messaging and Facebook, one relic of the past still endures – the college campus bulletin board.
Cheryl Chernoff at the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement (OSLE) oversees publications. They must be endorsed by a student organization and “cannot promote alcohol or smoking,” Chernoff warned. Not all bulletin posts are directly related to a campus group, such as Hertz car rental. Student government decided to back up the service. Announcements can also be “approved as a courtesy to the community,” said Chernoff. Babysitting falls under this category.
No student can casually tack an employer’s restaurant menu or a band’s concert dates to the board. Fliers are run by OSLE for permission to advertise. Student groups are penalized for posting without authorization. Chernoff explains the consequences with no apparent leeway or sympathy. After an initial warning, there is a suspension from advertising anywhere for 30 days. The third strike is a 60-day suspension.
Rules pertaining to the bulletin board may be strict, but diverse material covers its surface. A VW Cabriolet convertible is $3,500 for any takers. Jeans are needed as donations to teen homelessness.
How many students mill around the photograph of the convertible considering their bank accounts or mentally count the pairs of jeans in their dorm? The bulletin board is not flashy and is not the best means of catching attention.
Sophomore Resident Assistant Chelsea Michelson describes her hallway’s board as “aesthetically pleasing” and attempts to “grab their attention first” before getting into detail.
Her neighboring resident, sophomore Michael Weber, was questioned on the second floor bulletin board. “I don’t even look at them – I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said slowly, as if completely lost to a huge concept. Which, in a way, he is. “The only thing that comes to mind is the TV with the weather on it,” he admitted.
Weber speaks of the television screen by the elevators on the first floor of Vaughn. Other students recognized those as well. Perhaps, in the end, technology will win the battle against written word. The screen flashes images of dining specials or guest speakers. Interactive communication among students is more feasible, though, on the somewhat dated bulletin board.
Opportunities can be taken in with a sweeping glance. “You could be here” is a bold statement on a Campus Movie Fest poster with flashing bulbs and a red carpet. Free pool in the Spartan Club promoted Random Acts of Kindness week. Metropolitan Ministries wants volunteers.
“I usually take pictures of fliers with my phone because I’m not going to remember,” said Michelson. Busy students do not take the time to view the boards and some, of course, do not know where to find them. The average college student finds maybe ten times a day to check their Facebook homepage. Unlimited text messages fly among friends. But when it comes to discovering on-campus events, students might check their email or simply miss out.
“The things that I look at most are what’s going on around campus,” said sophomore Elaine Thornton. Most campus events can be found online. Students post off-campus housing options on the bulletin board that could take hours to find on Craig’s List. It is a matter of standing before the board at the right time – to find a post that peaks genuine interest.
Students rely on technology for so many aspects of their lives. The Internet is an excellent means of on-campus communication but this shouldn’t mean the bulletin board doesn’t deserve a look. How else would students know that Ryan repairs cracked iPhone screens?
Without a glance at the old-fashioned, yet relatable, college bulletin board, students are less aware.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment