Hanging in There: The Campus Pinboards

She slept with 50 men over a period of 3 months in 2008. According to Associated Newspapers, 23 year old Laura Michaels arranged the steamy hook-ups through her “I Need Sex” Facebook page. Developers have, since, removed her account, banishing her from the second-ranked site in the U.S. Nevertheless, its rapid growth and 350 million followers have inspired the exploration of a new kind of addiction: FAD or Facebook Addiction Disorder.

As Dana Oshiro has written, “Americans spend 13.9 billion minutes a year on Facebook.” As it was initially created for college students, many of its users study here at the University of Tampa. “I consider it a great form of communication,” said premed major Kevin Kelley, “you can stay in touch with people or see who their friends are and find them that way.”

Darcy Loveland, a nursing sophomore transfer said the social networking site “makes things easier when you have a group project.” However, some students like art & technology freshman Bryan Deem utilize it for extracurricular purposes: “I inform people about my band’s shows” he said proudly. Art senior Ryan McCallister is using Facebook as an invite tool for the 80s party he’s throwing this Saturday.

“There are many events I would have known nothing of if it wasn’t for Facebook,” said Cheryl Ruppel, a junior art therapy major.

Despite students’ adherence to such modern technologies, in this era of Facebook and text messaging, one relic of the past still endures – the college campus bulletin board.

Study Abroad! Townhomes for Sale! Make Extra Cash! UT’s campus bulletin boards, many of which strew the time-worn walls of Plant Hall, urge students to get involved; “Practice Mock Interviews,” celebrate the “Asian New Year,” or even see the “Invisible Children.”

“The bulletin board, like Facebook is instantaneous,” said sophomore, Caitlin Stanley. Kelley objects, saying that the “[Facebook] updates are quicker and more convenient.” He fiddles with his bite-sized cellular phone, “you can just look at it from your laptop or phone.”

Ironically, a good number of postings urge students to contact organizations and clubs via Facebook. McCallister said that’s how he learned of the campus magazine, “Quilt” in which his artwork was published.

Senior photography major, Michelle Victoria suggests that bulletin boards are more convenient because they are, in fact, not digital, “you don’t have to go to the web to view them; you have to check other digital mediums; the bulletin board is in your face.” She also added that email notices are often overlooked, “you’re like, ‘delete!’” she giggled pointing her stiff index finger downward as if punching a button.

Michael Farmer, a junior finance major agrees, “Your inbox can get cluttered with notices about things you don’t care about, but you can look at the bulletin board with your own leisure.”

“Just because the bulletin board is still up doesn’t mean its enduring. People are just too lazy to take it down… probably because they’re too busy on Facebook,” said Deem, unable to keep from snickering, “it’s not that Facebook is better than a bulletin board, you just have too keep up with the times.”

Ruppel affirms, “Unless I don’t have internet access, I’m on it daily. Bulletin boards don’t have any advantages over Facebook; it’s not the most convenient thing anymore. Everyone’s on the internet and more likely to check Facebook than a bulletin board.”

If so, then why do traditional mediums such as flyers, posters and banners subsist despite modern options? A couple students suppose the board is merely a supplement to technology.

Junior history major Savannah Audino said “technology is a more efficient way to make announcements and advertise things, but the bulletin board reinforces those announcements.”

According to Associate Director of the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement (OSLE), Kim Northup, “different modes of advertising catch the attention of different people.” They also “get a broader message across to people on campus,” says Devin Byrn, through a smoldering breathful of cigarette smoke; she’s a junior advertising and public relations student.

As graduate level accounting student, Chris Nelson noted, many people are “desensitized by the barrage of announcements that come through the email. Maybe,” he gestured with his thick hands, “people are less desensitized to physical, hardcopy paper. It depends on the message you’re trying to send; bulletin boards are hit and miss.”

Hit and miss, it also seems to Audino, “I don’t think people actually go to the bulletin boards; they just happen to see them.” Ruppel admits she has “posted to it for March of Dimes,” but “honestly, it’s not the most effective way to get people to come out to an event.”

In spite of these apparent deficiencies, Deem looks on the bright side, “the pros of telling people about my band’s show through the campus bulletin board,” he said, “is that it doesn’t matter if we have a bad show because not many people will show up anyway. The con is that I actually have to go to OSLE and get my stuff approved before finally having it posted. I would much rather prefer a system that doesn’t require getting permission.”

Deem is referring to UT’s Posting Policy; according to it, all flyers, banners, etc. must be stamped and approved by OSLE. The endorsement lasts for two weeks and is checked periodically for violations. Other rules declare that chalking must be a minimum of 10 feet from entrances and may not be done on steps. Painting the Vaughn Center windows is not permitted and banners may NOT be hung between the columns outside of the President’s office.

Although some, like Ruppel find these policies to be a “pain,” others find comfort in them.

“If it’s not something approved and cleared by the school,” said Loveland, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable attending it.”

“You have a better chance at getting your stuff seen if you approve it,” said Farmer.

As any rate, Northup, OLSE’s associate director, does not “foresee the posting policy changing much. However,” she said, “as new buildings open on campus, I would guess that, where appropriate, the locations students, faculty, and staff can post approved items will expand.”

Byrn, among other students, predicts that this expansion will adopt an electronic form, “it will all be digital, with less print,” she said. Contrarily, Ruppel argued, “They’ll be outdated;” and McCallister, “I can’t imagine that they’ll ever go away.”

“I still think it will more or less stay,” said Dominic Palmariello, a sports management freshman, “but likely to go to the internet like everything else.”

Audino said, “No matter how advanced we are there will always be a bulletin.”

It seems that UT’s media services are already a step ahead. Thanks to them, LCD screens are available in the Vaughn and Stadium centers. “Registered student organizations can submit information to scroll on those screens,” said Northup.

Such technologies on our campus build anticipation for more fanciful gadgets, “There may be an IPod out for UT’s bulletins,” said Kelley, “who knows?”

Nelson expects to see more “LCD lighting displays, and flashy ticker tapes. You’re still gonna get your typical board,” he says pointing at a paper-engulfed bulletin board across the room, “but more visual displays.”

Some students aren’t so sure about the future of traditional bulletin boards. Victoria says, “They will probably go away because of all the environmental issues.”

Parallel to her is Deem, who says campus bulletin boards “will go green so that in the next ten years when we inevitably have to get rid of them, we won’t be hurting the environment.”

However, for the time being, the cluttered wall hangings remain intact.

-Tillman