Editorial Better Communication

Author: [no author name found]

The Middlebury Campus has enjoyed an online presence for nearly a decade, but this year marks a departure from the past in terms of reader participation. This year the Campus Opinions section has received markedly fewer Op-Ed submissions and Letters to the Editor than in any other year in its hundred plus years of publication. We do not attribute this change to any single event, but rather to the acceleration of a trend that has been taking place for some time: the increasingly digital way in which society presents media and the increasing literacy with which we absorb it. In lieu of Op-Ed's and Letters (which we do, by the way, accept via email), we have seen a dramatic increase in online comments.

These comments are something entirely different than the submissions of the past. The comments can be posted anonymously, they often have little in the way of correct grammar or construction, and they are often very short. We on the Campus board lament the dearth of opinion pieces and Letters to the Editor; their technologically advanced replacements are watered-down, too high in number and far less stimulating .

Not unlike the change in submissions to the Campus, communication on campus has changed drastically, and we feel, for the worse.

Each day students and faculty are inundated with "all-student" or "all-campus" emails from various student organizations and College administrators. The sheer volume of contact regarding news on campus creates a white noise that makes it extremely difficult to sort through the announcements.

Just this past week we were informed of the new initiative for Race and Ethnicity at Carr Hall, of the appointment of a new Human Relations Officer, of cancelled Winter Term trips, and of the continuing Davis Projects for Peace (which took two emails, proving that even the Office of the President is not immune to forgetting attachments). These emails are only a tiny modicum of the many sent out this week. However, the fundamental problem with these emails as a means of communication is not their quantity-although that is surely a problem-but their anonymity. Emails are sent to students from "Ronald D. Liebowitz", from the "Office of the President" (often signed "Ron"), from the "Office of the Provost", and from various Dean's offices, not to mention anyone else who can get a hold of the once-exclusive "all student email" privileges. Where is this information coming from?

E-mail and the internet at large as a means of communication decrease transparency on campus because less care is taken in presentation and often less information is conveyed. Furthermore, with so many emails sent out, distinguishing truly important announcements with more peripheral ones becomes nearly impossible. From issues spanning budget cuts, to the rescheduling of winter carnival last spring, to the internet Judicial Board log, to announcements on disappearances or deaths of students, the College should work to improve its communication to its students. The directness and speed of internet communication is no substitute for clear, comprehensive and informative communication.

Middlebury is known for having a very engaged and engaging administration, with little red tape. The College is also known for graduating great communicators. Simple steps can be taken to improve communications; perhaps a weekly e-mail from the Office of the President reporting the major events and appointments of the week might help. We are glad that Old Chapel has attempted to be direct and personable with its emails, but we suggest it work to better coordinate its communications. To be sure, Middlebury should take advantage of the internet's speed and directness, but not at the cost of transparency and clarity.