In October of last semester, the WSA submitted a proposal to enhance the collaboration between students and administrators on University outreach. Last week, the newly formed University Outreach Committee—a product of Mike Pernick ’10 and Saul Carlin ’09, WSA President and Vice President, respectively—met for the first time. The committee, which consists of administrators and members of the WSA, will meet several times per semester to discuss the University’s image and ways of improving its communication.
“Mike and I had been talking about strengthening University Relations between students and administrators [on this issue],” Carlin said. “President Roth was really enthusiastic about the idea.”
As the University Outreach Committee’s proposal states, “A sustained consultative relationship will enable productive, ongoing dialogue, and promote thinking that will foster creative, worthwhile, beneficial feedback on issues relating to university outreach.”
According to Carlin, while University Relations has been successful, they could benefit from the input of students, who offer a different perspective than the administration.
Both Pernick and Carlin agreed that collaboration on such issues is unprecedented.
“The purpose of a university is for students,” Pernick said. “It is imperative to consult with the students who go here, [so that they] have a say in how the University portrays itself to the rest of the world.”
During the first meeting, committee members discussed the ways in which the Internet can be utilized for reaching perspective students, current students, and alumni. Students provided insight into how Facebook, YouTube, and College Confidential can be used for marketing and social networking. The committee also agreed on the importance of self-promotion through written and video testimonials. Members discussed the possibility of making course syllabi available on the website, so that perspective students can gain insight into coursework. They also weighed the pros and cons of taping some classes and putting them on the Internet—a strategy used by several schools, such as MIT.
In the future, the committee will discuss admissions, town-gown relations, and press coverage.
The committee consists of four core members: President Michael Roth, Andy Tanaka, Assistant to the President for University Relations, Carlin, and Pernick. Others present at the first meeting included administrators appointed by Roth, as well as three self-selected WSA members. New topics of discussion will bring in different students and administrators. According to Tanaka, the frequency of the meetings is flexible, but they will meet as often as necessary.
Committee members agree that the first meeting was a success.
“The good news is we actually proved ourselves in these meetings,” Pernick said. “We proved they are going to be worthwhile.”