Class Newsletter Editors New Officer Training

1. Class Newsletter EditorsNew Officer Training Class Officers WeekendSeptember 23, 2011

2. New Class Newsletter Editors: “Welcome!”

3. Your Mission of “Newslettering” • 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.

4. Today’s Overview • Newsletter Program Background • What Makes a Newsletter Effective? • Content Ideas • Content Sources • Newsletter Production • Other Considerations • Where to get Help

5. 1. Newsletter Program Background • 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

6. 2. What Makes a Newsletter Effective? • 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

7. 2. What Makes a Newsletter Effective? • 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

8. 3. Content Ideas • Profiles of classmates • Image from 1991 newsletter

9. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Pages from Green Book or Aegis showing then and now • Image from 2000 newsletter

10. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Trivia, Games, etc. • Image from 1996 newsletter

11. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Calendars of Events • Image from 1969, 1998 newsletters

12. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Memories of Deceased Classmates • Image from 1993 newsletter

13. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Reproduction of awards documents/citations for class or specific individuals

14. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Historical images or articles from time that class was at Dartmouth • Images from 1934, 1939 newsletters

15. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • Helpful Articlesby Classmates • Images from 1979 newsletters

16. 3. Content Ideas (continued) • 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)

17. 3. Content Ideas (continued) In the spirit of:“Only do what only you can do.” “Provide the content that only you can provide.” “Simply…Delight!”

18. 4. Content Sources • 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.

19. 4. Content Sources (continued) • 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.eduan 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 )

20. 4. Content Sources (continued) • College Published/Produced • Alumni Council Website. also has meeting minutes. • Alumni Events Calendar. A somewhat limited listing of alumni events around the world, including mini-reunions, 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.

21. 4. Content Sources (continued) • 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.

22. 4. Content Sources (continued) • 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.)

23. 4. Content Sources (continued) • 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)

24. 5. Newsletter Production • 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)

25. 5. Newsletter Production (cont.) • 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

26. 6. Other Considerations • 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).

27. 7. Where to Go for Help • Alumni Relations • Jennifer Casey ’66a jennifer.e.casey@dartmouth.edu • Help with layout and with InDesign training – Mimi Rich ’12 marion.r.rich@dartmouth.edu • RC Brayshaw & Company • Josh Adams jadams@rcbprinting.com • Newsletter Editors Association Officers: • Christen O’Connor ’81 christen.o'connor.87@alum.dartmouth.org • Mark Winkler ’79 mark.winkler.79@gmail.com • Visit Newsletter Editors Association Website(http://www.dartmouth.org ) under Classes/Tools for Class Leaders

28. The Mission of “Newslettering” • To Foster… • To Create… • To Sustain… • To Nurture… • To Celebrate… … the Community of your Class and College. So…

29. New Class Newsletter Editors: “Have fun andmuch luck!”-Dan

30. Questions?