By Mesquite Editorial Board
Communication is an important aspect of the academic relationship between students and professors. When class meeting times or locations change, professors have to communicate that information in the most efficient way. When professors want to provide a visual display of internships, job postings, and conference opportunities, they want more options than the campus’ e-boards.
A Mesquite news article this week describes a conflict between faculty and the university’s strict principles on how to effectively display information. Some faculty want more freedom to have bulletin boards outside their office doors, while members of the administration and staff hold the position that a clean aesthetic promotes professionalism.
A lack of bulletin boards outside faculty offices at Main Campus Building prevents faculty and staff from posting office hours, announcements, and flyers about upcoming events, internships or job opportunities.
In place of bulletin boards, the university puts greater emphasis on digital technology, using mass emails, Blackboard, Facebook and monitors to communicate information to students.
While it makes sense to rely heavily on technology during this digital age, not all students have access to Internet at home or are not tech savvy. Plus, students will eliminate unwanted emails without opening and reading them.
By not having more bulletin boards, knowledge of organizations, club meeting times and dates, events and housing options is lost.
As the university develops, a combination of bulletin boards, e-boards and student-centered zones will best create a welcoming and educational environment for students.
In addition, seeing bulletin boards around Main Campus will create a warm and comfortable environment. Bulletin boards also disperse information only to those who want it through visual stimulation.
Main Campus, while aesthetically pleasing, is very formal and, according to some students, seems to cater more to administration, rather than the approximately 4,500 students who attend the university. The few bulletin boards Main Campus does have are limited and hidden.
Plus, there are too many rules for posting including this policy attached to each bulletin board: “BEFORE YOU POST! University policy requires that all bulletin board postings be approved by Campus Activities. All approved postings will be stamped with the University logo. Any unauthorized postings will be removed.”
While there is nothing wrong with having a beautiful campus and showing pride for how far the university has developed, this is still a university that must meet the needs of its students.
Information posted through fliers lets students know the university cares and wants students to be active and participate in campus activities or organizations. Without paper fliers posted for activities and events, student participation is limited.
