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.

1. Newsletter Program Background 2. What Makes a Newsletter Effective? 3. Content Ideas 4. Content Sources 5. Newsletter Production 6. Other Considerations 7. Where to get Help

 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 65 th 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 ◦ Work Address, phone and ◦ 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 . The Dartmouth. ◦ Dartmouth Now: an excellent resource! Editors and classmates can sign up for daily s of “Dartmouth Now” – Wonderful! ◦ Blogs: (e.g. Joe Asch’s )

 College Published/Produced ◦ Alumni Council Website. also has meeting minutes. Alumni Council Website ◦ Alumni Events Calendar. A somewhat limited listing of alumni events around the world, including mini- reunions, reunions, club events, etc.. Alumni Events Calendar ◦ Alumni Headlines and Announcements. Archived listing of headlines about alumni services, news, events. Alumni Headlines and Announcements ◦ 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 . Dartmouth Life

 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 . Dartmouth News ◦ Speaking of Dartmouth. A Dartmouth 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. Speaking of Dartmoutharchive

 Rauner Library ◦ Consider a visit, a phone call, or an 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 classmates to ask them for updates (send personal )  Include plugs for updates in s 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 1 st or 3 rd 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 ◦ Help with layout and with InDesign training – Mimi Rich ’12  RC Brayshaw & Company ◦ Josh Adams  Newsletter Editors Association Officers: ◦ Christen O’Connor ’81 ◦ Mark Winkler ’79  Visit Newsletter Editors Association Website ( ) under Classes/Tools for Class Leadershttp://

 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?