Campus Journal moves to paperless world

By Lori Wright, Media Relations

In an effort to better serve faculty and staff with more timely information and as the result of growing budgetary concerns, Campus Journal, UNH’s faculty and staff newsletter, will become a Web-only publication in January.

The final print version will be published Jan. 21, 2005. The Web address for Campus Journal Online is http://www.unh.edu/news/campusjournal/index.html.

Currently, the printing and distribution of Campus Journal comprises half of the Media Relations operating budget. With a greater emphasis on proactive media outreach at both the national and state levels, it was critical to cut costs.

Moreover, transitioning Campus Journal to a Web-only publication is in keeping with a national trend. The majority of land-grant universities in New England do not publish a print version of their faculty/staff newsletter for a number of reasons, including cost savings, flexibility and the ability to offer more in-depth coverage.

Campus Journal Online provides a greater level of interaction with and dissemination of information to campus. The Campus Journal’s print schedule often results in published stories that are already outdated by the time the paper is published. For example, a story submitted on a Tuesday afternoon will not appear in the print version of Campus Journal at least 10 days later.

“Relying on an interactive online CJ that is continually updated will eliminate this lag time and allow us to better serve readers with more relevant news. Not only will CJ Online news be more timely, it is more extensive, since the Campus Journal is not restricted by a lack of print space,” said Jennifer Murray, vice president for university communications and marketing.

In addition, E-News @ UNH, an electronic newsletter launched in fall 2003 that complements the Web publication, allows constituents to receive Campus Journal stories, as well as press releases and links to positive UNH stories in the press, directly in their e-mail box. In order to serve the minority of staff who do not have regular access to an office computer, Media Relations is developing a system to ensure they continue to have timely access to Campus Journal information.

In August 2003, Media Relations launched its redesigned Web site, which included a more appealing and timely CJ Online. Since that time, Media Relations has been publishing both the print and online versions of CJ every other week, with the online version available earlier in the week of publication.

Readership of Campus Journal Online has grown dramatically since spring semester 2004 when Media Relations began lightly promoting CJ Online in the print version.

“CJ Online is one of the strongest and most accessed components of the Media Relations site,” Murray said.

Over the last two years UNH has been moving toward “paperless” campus. Virtually all standard communication from the Registrar’s Office and the Office of Financial Aid has shifted from paper to electronic communication. In September 2004, Business Services converted to electronic, online billing as a way to offer enhanced services to customers. Even the United Way Campaign moved online this year.

This paperless effort includes the addition of the Blackboard student portal, which allows UNH to direct news and information to students electronically. Because of Blackboard, UNH is able to more efficiently serve students academically through electronic interaction with their professors and peers.

Finally, some colleges have implemented or are considering implementing electronic newsletters and eliminating their print publications. The migration of Campus Journal to an online only publication is another step in this process.

“The decline in resources and financial support for public institutions has forced university communications departments to find more efficient, cost-saving methods to do their jobs in more effective ways,” Murray said. “Campus Journal Online allows Media Relations to accomplish its strategic communications goals more effectively, as well as better serving faculty and staff who will find more timely news on the Web.”