Publicity plagues student life

This archived article was written by: Kevin Vanderspek

Lack of social media and an excessive amount of fliers could be affecting student government’s small attendance at events. Advertising on campus is overwhelming, while off-campus students do not get any notice in advance, save for some social media. USUE’s online presence has little to no followers which fails to make up for the lack of off-campus promotion.
During dances, student government closes off a large portion of the multipurpose room. When asked about this, some members said it was to make it seem like more people were at the event. This can only be because few people know about the event, leading to a drop in participation. Because of this, there needs to be a change in the way advertising is done; fliers alone are not enough.
Fliers have not been effective in reaching students. For each activity, hundreds of fliers are printed and hung throughout campus. In the dorms, fliers are on every door and hallway, many of which end up on the ground because the doors have too many. While off campus students only see the fliers in the classroom buildings. All these buildings are over filled with fliers.
Three students were asked how they feel advertising is seen by other students. A student leader, campus head resident advisor Ian Thompson and Eagle editor Kalli Prendergast were among those involved.
Thompson said the advertising tries to get students to come to student government, instead of student government to the students. It should come as no surprise that less people know about activities. This conversation has been going on for a while, but when the issue is brought up to the student government, the response is the same. They put the blame on students for not looking for campus advertising.
Thompson spoke of a solution he proposed to get advertising to students. He wanted a projector in the Student Center with event advertising. This was met with resistance by student government, who asserted that fliers are how students learn about events. This is only partially true. Yes, students learn about events from fliers, but why close off half of a multipurpose room?
A student leader’s response was Eastern advertising is passive and scarce. This leader suggested a table be set-up at lunchtime to inform students of activities as they walk in to eat. Thompson explained that this was already done, but students who sit at the table are looking at their phones rather than talking to students.
As an off-campus student, Prendergast said the only way she learns about events was by looking at Snapchats from her friends. She had no idea that USUE Student Life had a Twitter or Snapchat account, which often leaves her unaware. As a result, off-campus students have little to no connection with events.
Student government should push social media at club rush, dances, homecoming week and other gatherings. There are many missed opportunities for social media to be used. One solution is finding where student’s look and advertise there.
USUE’s Student Life Twitter has 25 followers and according to Gypsie Evertt, the snap chat has about 150. The school’s Facebook page has not posted anything since 2012, but I was told there is more than one Facebook account. Abul Momen and Seyama Sultana in, “Web based Entrepreneurship via /social Networking Sites: Bangladesh Perspective” said, “In the decade of data framework, social-networking sites have assumed a fundamental part in changing business and correspondence.” EUSA has been late to push improvement in this area, but needs to start so they do not miss marketing opportunities. Like Thompson said, “the events are fun when people come.”