Associated Students, Inc. will revitalize a campus-wide newsletter to be distributed to all students, for the first time in more than 20 years.
With just a click of a button, all Cal State Long Beach students will be able to access “everything they need to know about student life on campus,” said ASI President Erin Swetland in a prepared statement.
The old paper newsletter was a one-time effort with limited circulation, according to Richard H. Haller, ASI Executive Director. The newsletter will be sent via e-mail once month, starting the first week of the fall 2008 semester. The newsletter will be similar to the e-newsletter sent out by the University Student Union, according to Christina Esparza, ASI communications coordinator.
However, ASI’s newsletter will be broader and includes the entire organization. “It will cover broader topics about what ASI is doing, such as recent student advocacy efforts, updates on services provided by ASI, and opportunities for involvement, as well as news about upcoming events,” Haller wrote in an e-mail.
The newsletter will include a calendar with ASI sponsored events and information. “It is a convenient way for students to access the information they want as their schedules allow, straight from their e-mail,” Swetland said.
The email format will make the newsletter accessible, but students don’t necessarily feel it will change their attitude towards ASI or the campus. “As a nursing student I don’t have time [to get involved], but for less demanding majors I think it could have a more positive impact,” Maureen Binns said.
The majority of students interviewed also said they are supportive of the newsletter and that they would read it. “It’s necessary to keep the students informed about local events and I think the university needs something more thorough,” business major Willy Ford said of the newsletter.
However, the newsletter’s success may depend on how the e-mails are presented to students. “Reading it will probably depend on the topic and whether the heading seemed of interest to me,” Binns said.
Every student will be sent the newsletter automatically, but students can choose to unsubscribe. “We want all students to know how their ASI dues are being spent on campus and what we can provide them on campus,” Swetland said. “We want them to also know the areas on campus that they can get involved and all the scholarships and opportunities that are available to them.”
According to Esparza, ASI wants to be sure they are held accountable for their actions. “Just like municipalities are accountable to taxpayers, we are accountable to students and they have every right to know exactly where their fees are going, and more importantly, they should know the certain things we offer that will be helpful to them while they are students of CSULB,” Esparza said.
Frances Vega also contributed to this report.
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