Class Officers Weekend September 23, 2011
“Welcome! ”
To Foster… To Create… To Sustain… To Nurture… To Celebrate… … the Community of your Class and College. Newsletter Editors can have tremendous impact. Powerful possibilities are almost without limit.
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Background What Makes a Newsletter Effective? 3. Content Ideas 4. Content Sources 5. Newsletter Production 6. Other Considerations 7. Where to get Help Newsletter Program
Newsletters are Fundamental to Communications
According to 1994 Alumni Survey, class newsletters are the most widely read Dartmouth publication ◦ 94% of those surveyed read newsletters ◦ 89% of those surveyed read DAM
Newsletter Editor thus has a critical role in communications with alumni
News about classmates and their families
◦ (and not always about the same, usual suspects).
News about current class activities and programs ◦ Reports from Class President
◦ Information about mini-reunions and reunions (& photos) ◦ Info and Support for class projects ◦ Status information on annual giving from Head Agent.
◦ Info and Support for class dues payment. ◦ Reports from Alumni Council representatives ◦ Reports on class officers meetings
Good Photographs of Classmate Faces and Groups
Integration with Class Online Presence: ◦ Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Historic Articles of Class and College.
Good Photographs of Dartmouth Campus
News of Campus Events ◦ from Alumni Relations, ◦ from President Kim ◦ from Board Of Trustees
Profiles of classmates
Image from 1991 newsletter
Pages from Green Book or Aegis showing then and now
Image from 2000 newsletter
Trivia, Games, etc.
Image from
1996 newsletter
Calendars of Events Image from 1969, 1998 newsletters
Memories of Deceased Classmates Image from 1993 newsletter
Reproduction of awards documents/citations for class or specific individuals
Historical images or articles from time that class was at Dartmouth Images from 1934, 1939 newsletters
Helpful Articles by Classmates Images from 1979 newsletters
Columns from current students connected with class in some way
Letters to the editor Personal columns from class officers or classmates about timely, valuable topics. Class surveys (e.g. site for 65th Birthday Party, Alumni Governance)
In the spirit of: “Only do what only you can do.”
“Provide the content that only you can provide.” “Simply…Delight!”
Classmate Information that the College has: ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦
Home Address, phone, and email Work Address, phone and email Current work company Job Title Undergraduate activities (clubs, LSA, etc.) Undergraduate sports Fraternity, Sorority & Senior Society memberships. Children
This info may provide good story ideas.
Often Most Current Sources ◦ The Dartmouth. Student daily. Website includes news, also available as an RSS/XML feed and via e-mail. ◦ Dartmouth Now: http://now.dartmouth.edu an excellent resource! Editors and classmates can sign up for daily e-mails of “Dartmouth Now” – Wonderful! ◦ Blogs: (e.g. Joe Asch’s www.dartblog.com )
College Published/Produced
◦ Alumni Council Website. also has meeting minutes. ◦ Alumni Events Calendar. A somewhat limited listing of alumni events around the world, including minireunions, reunions, club events, etc.. ◦ Alumni Headlines and Announcements. Archived listing of headlines about alumni services, news, events. ◦ Dartmouth Life. Published three times each year, Dartmouth Life is distributed free of charge to all Dartmouth College alumni/ae, parents of current undergraduates, and faculty. Also available as an RSS/XML feed and via e-mail.
College Published Produced - Continued
◦ Dartmouth News. Public Affairs Office’s website contains links to articles, an events calendar, press releases, etc. Also available as an RSS/XML feed and via e-mail. ◦ Speaking of Dartmouth. A Dartmouth e-mail newsletter created by Alumni Relations and Public Affairs. Distributed monthly. Individuals can subscribe from the webpage to get future mailings, and an archive of back issues is also available.
Rauner Library ◦ Consider a visit, a phone call, or an email to the College archives in Rauner Library. ◦ They have historic photographs of campus events ◦ A complete run of The Daily Dartmouth, The Aegis, the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, and other Dartmouth publications that you might use portions of in the newsletter (football programs, final exams, admissions statistics, etc.)
Actively e-mail classmates to ask them for updates (send personal e-mail)
Include plugs for updates in e-mails that go to classmates
Utilize green cards in your printed newsletters; consider putting a web form on your class web page for electronic submissions as well
Consider setting up a Google alert to search and deliver web postings that mention classmates Interviews at mini-reunions (attendees & rsvp no-ers)
College subsidizes production costs of 3 newsletters-per-class-per-year (4 in reunion year) ◦ Printing must be done through the College. ◦ The “year” is based on the College’s fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. ◦ Assumes an 8-page newsletter; pages beyond that cost extra, as does the addition of color
InDesign software available through College at a discount ($125)
Process outlined in Newsletter Editor Handbook:
◦ Submit newsletters to the College from amongst a number of methods (e.g. InDesign file, PDF file, MSWord file, hard copy) ◦ Provide instructions (i.e., color/B&W, paper type, insertion of Green Card, class of mail, etc.) ◦ Alumni Relations (Jennifer Casey) works with printer R.W. Brayshaw to arrange production and with College’s printing service for the mailing, folding, etc. ◦ All submissions reviewed for accuracy by AR. ◦ Decision to mail 1st or 3rd class affects delivery timing
Consider offering full-color versions or PDF versions of newsletter on class website ◦ Be aware that some classmates may not want information posted on the web
Work with class secretary to coordinate publication of class news Work with class webmaster to promote/post newsletters on class website. (Archive).
Alumni Relations ◦ Jennifer Casey ’66a
[email protected]
◦ Help with layout and with InDesign training – Mimi Rich ’12
[email protected]
RC Brayshaw & Company ◦ Josh Adams
[email protected]
Newsletter Editors Association Officers: ◦ Christen O’Connor ’81 christen.o'
[email protected] ◦ Mark Winkler ’79
[email protected] Visit Newsletter Editors Association Website (http://www.dartmouth.org ) under Classes/Tools for Class Leaders
To Foster… To Create… To Sustain… To Nurture… To Celebrate… … the Community of your Class and College.
So…
“Have fun and much luck!” -Dan
Questions?
