Before I launch into my very first post, I believe introductions are in order. My name is Samantha Miller (though most everyone calls me Sam) and I am a senior liberal arts student here at Penn State. I am currently finishing up a double major in political science and minor in Spanish. I say finishing up because I have, as of the first week of January, officially filed my intent to graduate (it was a very bittersweet moment).
I have been a member of the University Park Undergraduate Association (more commonly known as UPUA and YOUR student government) for three years. This year, I serve on the executive board as the Director of Assembly Services. An initiative that I have been advocating for since last March has been for the UPUA to bring back the publication of a freshman handbook. This handbook would be a comprehensive, student-friendly reference that presents new students with everything they need to know about having enriching and successful undergraduate careers and to take advantage of the rich Penn State culture and opportunities by which new students will soon be surrounded. In my opinion far too much time is wasted in an undergraduate’s career just staying afloat–as official advocates for the undergraduate population, it is UPUA’s responsibility to help connect our constituents with the opportunities they want to be involved with from before day one on campus. Though this idea did take some time to go through the process of being passed and to receive an allocation of funds, I am now fully equipped with a team and a budget to make this project a reality for the incoming class of 2014 (which makes me feel so old!)
Last week The Daily Collegian printed an editorial titled “Efficiency needed for handbook” on whether or not it is a waste of student money (UPUA budget = small portion of Student Activity Fee = student money) to actually provide a free copy of a printed book to each new student. (see here:
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2010/01/25/efficiency_needed_for_handbook.aspx) They wrote “It’s safe to say that most students in the past years have gotten by just fine by looking up information on whatever relevant Web site that psu.edu offers. A housing question can be answered by simply googling “housing PSU” which will take you directly where you need to go.” They continue on arguing that, “Instead of using $21,000 to put out a physical handbook, why not create a Web site that would accumulate all the links and information that freshman students — and transfer students as well — would find very useful? It would certainly be a lot cheaper and more accessible than a handbook that, given the amount of information it plans to cover, could be quite large in capacity.”
Aside from the irony of print media arguing against funds being used for another form of print media, I think this raises an interesting question. Are the students getting along just fine? I would argue that they are not. We constantly hear complaints of student apathy, student drinking, and general disengagement of undergraduates from the opportunities and experiences that this Penn State Community offers to them. The easy solution is to blame the student…they just don’t care; you can’t fix student apathy, etc. etc. Well here’s my challenge: have we tried? I argue that we have not. We have done a poor job of connecting our new students with this community, never giving them the fighting chance to be good Penn State citizens. This book, a $21,000 physical and personal gift from the UPUA to their newest constituents, is an investment. It is an investment saying we want you to join our community and grow into something more wonderful and enriching than it has been before. We, the undergraduate students of the UPUA, believe in you and trust the future of this wonderful institution: shape it, grow it, appreciate it, and love it. It’s time to pay it forward, and this handbook will do just that.
sam says
Totally, newspapers are having a hard time in the digital world. Some think they will be gone, forever. I for one, think, however, that there is still a place for newspapers, but it will be moved to a more local platform.
gbpbot says
I think it is extremely ironic that the newspaper prints an article arguing against printing something. I think newspapers have had their day and are now fighting for their survival.
Mary Fleming says
Timely conversation! Sam, as someone who has successfully navigated the labyrinth of information and opportunities that support higher education at Penn State, it is notable that you desire to make the trip more student friendly for those who come after.
At the foundation of this conversation there seems to be agreement that students in transition, whether coming from high school, other campuses, other institutions or even changing from one college to another at Penn State, need guidance. Where those conversing may disagree is on the strategy used to address the need.
Paper handbook or website? Indeed, there are advantages to a physical handbook. However, information is dynamic and maintaining a paper handbook is costly and, yes, as Geoff notes, wasteful. Yet, is a website with resource links or a blog the answer?
Maybe an on-line handbook that serves as a road map, rather than a series of links to resources, would be sustainable. Much as there are many different ways to reach a destination while on a road trip, so too is the educational journey of each student. A website set up for students on a personalized journey to choose answers to questions that relate to their needs at any given time would allow them to enter at different points as they grow and find they need guidance, information or links to resources. Think of it as a website that accesses the vast institutional information students may need at any given time, yet allows them filter out what is not currently needed as they plumb its depths.
Thank you for initiating the conversation Sam, and congratulations on filing your intent to graduate.
SUZANNE V BENNETT says
I am happy to see that students also question the balance of saving trees and other resources with getting information into the users hand.
As a member of the advising team I spend a lot of time wondering, who reads my emails? Who doesn’t have or doesn’t use their electronic skills and tools? Or are the students so connected to their computers that paper methods of distributing information are seen the same way as stone tablets might be?
My opinion would be that paper is comforting and readily available. Perhaps there is a middle ground of paper leading the first year students to the online resources.
I don’t know the answer but even more than hearing the student opinions on the answer, I would like to know how you arrive at the conclusion you do reach.
Katelyn Perry says
Sam, I love this idea–and I think we NEED a way to educate/coach first year students (and transfer students and change of location students who move to UP). As an adviser, I often hear comments from these groups of students that run along the lines of, “Ohhh…I didn’t know that I could late-drop that class.” And, the general philosophy has been that students can FIND that information and that it’s readily accessible–online, in the DUS Advising Handbook, etc. But there’s a disconnect between the question and where the answer is or whom to consult with about the concern.
With that in mind, I think some kind of “nudge” would be important to get these groups of students to read/consult a paper handbook or an online version or a blog. I know there are some “unfriendly” ways of doing that–like, putting a hold on a student’s registration (YUCK!), so I’d be interested in hearing about what would work to (almost) force students to read this handbook? Any suggestions? But, again, Sam, I love your idea and I’m so impressed by this potential “parting gift” you’re working on as a senior–so very generous of you!
Christopher P. Long says
This is a great conversation, thanks for starting it Sam!
I think the common issue of concern is how can we make the transition from High School to college less traumatic and more sensitive to the needs of new students.
We might also expand the discussion to include how we are supporting students who come to the UP campus from the Commonwealth campuses. (I would love to hear from them on this too.)
I wonder if a combined approach might work best. Some people clearly want a physical handbook they can read and carry with them. I can see the advantages of that: they can underline things, make notes on it, flip through it easily…
But Geoff makes a good point that students increasingly live in the world of digital communication, so why shouldn’t there be a digital form of the handbook and a way to cultivate community among new and transfer students using a digital medium like a blog as well?
These two options don’t need to be mutually exclusive. We might spend a little less on printing and put some funds toward developing and managing a blog space centered around the transition experience. The latter could be easily and cheaply done through the blogs@PSU initiative.
We here in the LAUS office would love to work with students who want to try to establish such a blog.
Geoff says
Sam argues articulately on behalf of her idea, however; she is missing several key arguments against the handbook. The question is not whether students are getting along just fine without it. The question is: does $21,000 need to be spent on this handbook when there is a better viable option available? The answer is emphatically, no.
There is no reason for a handbook to be printed and passed out to students when, using less money, a website can be created to provide such a service. The impact on our environment would be considerably better then printing roughly 7,000 copies of a handbook. (Did I mention it will be printed every year?) This is not a one time project; which means it will not be a one time allocation of $21,000, thousands of dollars will be spent every year on this handbook. A website is much more cost effective and has a better impact on our environment. Spending this much money on a keepsake to alleviate student apathy when a viable alternative exists is wasteful. And, if a website is created to complement the handbook, why not just use the website instead? Students are increasingly more technologically savvy; they will be able to navigate a website with ease if it is designed properly.
Every year, some group on this campus advocates more ways to go green. This is just the opposite. Our student government should not be engaging in such waste. If UPUA and Samantha Miller want to engage students, they should do it in a common sense fashion. Alleviating “student apathy” is not a good enough reason to spend $21,000 on this handbook and continue to print it every year. Create a website, help save our environment, and reach out to students in an intelligent way. Set an example: one that is not wasteful and not out of touch.
Evan Pugh says
“Aside from the irony of print media arguing against funds being used for another form of print media”
I love that part. How hypocritical of the Collegian to write that in the article. I absolutely believe that this handbook needs to be created and added to the MaterIals handEd out when ouR new students arrive for their FTCAP Day (which is a totally other subject). Think about how resourceful this book could be…An eager Penn State student who can’t wait to go to college who now has everything about Penn State at their fingertips. Personally, this handbook would have been something I would have read from cover to cover after attending FTCAP in anticipation of my next four (or five!) years of my life.
Thank you for finally realizing that a majority of this campus gets lost upon arrival and can never seem to find their way back from the parties and other temptations downtown. I applaud your efforts and see this as one of the greatest things UPUA has done to date. Keep up the great work and don’t let such a crummy piece of media like the Collegian get you down!
PAUL STEPHEN JOHN says
Sam, I couldn’t agree more with your position on bringing the handbook back. And far to many times, people criticize others without looking at themselves first. Great idea. Well said.
-PSDJ