This article is from the WLUFA Advocate April 2016 4.1.
Sue Ferguson, Director, Communications Committee
Remember last year? Milton? Enrollment numbers dropping? IPRM? Sexual assault on campus? Precarious work? Layoffs? Full-time negotiations? Some issues just aren’t going away, and so we’ll keep talking about them – and more – in the pages of this year’s Advocate. But thinking that maybe “less” really can be “more,” we’re going to lay things out a bit differently.
Last year, we published three eight-page issues. We don’t have any scientific evidence but we’re pretty sure that these were not as well read as the shorter, snappier, one- to two-page supplements that we put out to respond to pressing issues. So, expect shorter (four page) issues, and more regular two-page supplements that take up a particular subject in greater depth. Our first supplement, on sexual violence on campus, will be out soon.
You’ll notice also that Advocate articles are shorter. We’re hoping that this too will encourage you to read to the end of each article. Of course, lots of topics can’t be boiled down to a sound bite, and so we’ll post longer versions of some articles on the Advocate blog. (On the other hand, some topics can be boiled down to 140 characters, and our social media manager, Matt Thomas, now regularly does just that so please consider following us on twitter – and friend us too.)
What else can you expect from this year’s Communications Committee? We’re committed to expanding the conversation about gendered violence, for one thing. We will also take a look at university funding, online learning, and the upcoming negotiations between our contract faculty and the administration, and much more. The issue of precarious
labour on campus is not going away, and affects all faculty, permanent and contract, as well as Laurier administrative staff and custodians. It also holds long term implications for the role of postsecondary education in our society, and so will continue to be a focus of our work this year.
Whatever our plans are, we are only too happy to change them to accommodate issues important to you, our readers. The Advocate was created – in part – to disseminate information that the Association Executive identifies as important for members to read. Mainly, however, it is intended to be a forum for members to converse with each other. Let us know what you want to talk about. You can reach us at the emails or phone numbers listed on the website.
The WLUFA Advocate Blog 