One might think that my job as a WCSU public relations guy would be simple: Spend the day talking to intelligent and witty media people, apply my considerable writing skills to press releases, and then gaze out the window as I await coverage for the university.
But there are other aspects to my employment at Western Connecticut State University.
I’m one of the people responsible for how Western presents itself to the community. We have done a lot of work to make ourselves presentable and looking like a place that students would be proud to attend. Case in point is the official entrance on White Street, a brick and wrought iron gateway to the Midtown campus. It was built to commemorate our 100th anniversary and includes the university’s name in gold. So when I spotted a banner strung across the top of the gates, soliciting students and community members for a summer trip to Spain, I voiced my objection to the president, who quickly assigned me the task of creating a policy.
Over the years, Western has developed several ways to communicate with students and others (you) about what’s happening on campus. Our habit is to plaster our buildings with posters and other signs publicizing every lecture, musical performance and theater cattle call.
The flyers are stapled to the walls above stairways and are left up for months, long after the advertised events are finished. Banners are bolted to brick facades and get the most attention when they come partly unattached and start flapping loudly in the wind. And we have custom-built A-frames that weigh roughly the same amount as the hindquarters of an elephant, which our maintenance crews periodically drag out to White Street and Osborne Street. We nail posters to each side of the A-frame and hope art lovers will notice as they drive by.
Three colleagues — one who directs campus maintenance; another who leads the design of our many publications, posters and the like; and the dean of students — agreed to meet with me one January afternoon to discuss our options.
We decided to limit the places that banners can be hung (never on the Midtown gates) and vowed that the ugly A-frames would be retired. The design guy found some weather-tight display cases in which we can place posters around campus along with eye-catching banner-holders for indoor displays. When we do put up outside banners, we agreed, they would be riveted to the walls so they can’t be undone by the wind.
During our discussion, which was relaxed yet thoughtful, someone mentioned that the theater people always put up signs on Osborne Street at the entrance to the Berkshire Theatre, where most of their productions are staged.
They like those damn A-frames, even though the ground is not level in front of the theater, and they insist on putting a banner on the outside of the building, which is obscured by trees. We unanimously agreed that we need a better solution. Lacking any ideas, we thanked each other and concluded the meeting.
Now the theater department is gearing up for its spring production. Students are rehearsing, publicity photos are being shot. Requests were submitted for posters to be mounted on the A-frames.
In a quick meeting, the designer and I agreed that it would be best if the theater department would just go away.
Then he reminded me that every theater in the world puts up signs in front of its building and whether the A-frames are a pain or not, we needed to do something.
So the A-frames have been ordered for Osborne Street and our committee will meet again to talk about another, permanent solution that we will try to put in place before the fall production.
Meanwhile, the banner advertising the trip to Spain is still hanging on the White Street gates. It will come down, soon, though, and no banner will ever go up there again. I’m fairly certain.
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I agree that there is a poster problem at WestConn. What annoys me the most is when people leave them up long after the event advertised has ended. The only reason for that is laziness. I also agree that the gates are an important aesthetic element that should not be hidden, however I can understand why someone would think that it would be a good advertising space.
Hopefully in the next few years to come WCSU changes for the better and becomes one of the top state schools in CT.
I’m relieved that someone has noticed the poster problem on campus. There are too many of them that have expired, which is both disappointing and annoying. Who wants to get excited over a posted event, and then find out it has passed? They take up too much space, and make the campus look cluttered. It would be nice if people and clubs would take responsiblity for what they put up on our campus walls. You would think the students would care about their college’s image.
I just transferred to WCSU this semester and WOW were the fliers overwhelming. They really are everywhere, and are the main means of communication between campus clubs and the students. We need to push that communication to a single organized page on the Westconn website. It should even be a club! Like the newspaper, but online and strictly for informing about events that would be on fliers. A digital bulletin board would be neater and easier for students to keep up with.
Being proud of one’s school ranges further than the interior capabilities it provides (i.e. a wide range of classes and supportive professors), an exterior appreciation should count just as much. Displaying a banner atop the iron gates of WCSU inhibits its primary purpose of being a strong and proudful gateway into an intellectual community, one that has earned a right needs to be feared by other Universities. When walking up the newly tiled staircases of White Hall I couldn’t help but smile because of how clean and professional it looked instead of the decaying paint chipped railings and loose tiles. Although the walls windows are untouched, i know soon they will bare the marks of stuck on tape as flyers are being posted. Unfortunately I am the type of person who over looks such items but if more was done to promote school programs in newspapers or decorative signs, the campus would gain more exposure and more respect.
It’s so nice to see someone caring about how ugly all the posters on campus are! Anyone who would be considering the trip to Spain has already received emails from the school and sees a poster in every stairwell on campus anyways so what’s the point of 1) wasting money on a banner advertising the trip and 2) defacing a beautiful entrance way? Thank you for caring and trying to improve the school!
Walking around the campus at WCSU, I do constantly notice signs and posters. Most frequently the library. I see signs go up constantly that have little to no meaning to anyone that sees them. (No disrespect to those who put them up or what they stand for) Theyr’e just an annoying eye sore for everyone that has the misfortune of seeing them. These waste of tree’s are taped to elevators, inside walls, outside walls and any open space these “advertisers” can find. Now for the play; the signs put up for the play outside the building that the play is in I am okay with because I rarely have to enter that building on a day to day basis. I am okay with the signs being put up around campus, but not to the extent.
I think every job comes with a certain frustration. You just have to make the best out of it and keep fighting for your dreams
I certainly agree with you! The way our campus looks is important to me also since I attend the university. The big iron gates are one of my favorite aspects of the Midtown campus. With the Spain banner draping across it, I too was aggravated. Thank you for caring so much about our school and your efforts for its improvement! It’s a good thing that you were able to arrange for alternate ways of advertising events rather than signs all over the place.
Chelsea,
You are correct. I was kidding. I love the theater department and I’m proud to support it in any way I can.
I appreciate what you have done for our University. As a WCSU student, image is important to me since I am often asked where I attend school. I am happy to say that I go to WestConn.
Motion catches more attention.
Creative solution: I know you can’t officially have only hot girls holding signs (though they would get most attention), but let’s say male or female students. Have them near the cross walks holding signs, maybe acting out sneak-peaks of the play.
And as for a sign in front of the theatre entrance – audience members already know what they are about to see. A-frames are unnecessary, since hardly any one drives by there. A small sign on the doors would suffice in confirming that the play is taking place inside.
Keep up the good work!
Remnants of old posters advertising events that have long since passed is not an attractive means of decorating our school, I agree. Many signs have been left around random streets of towns including Danbury and the surrounding area from garage sales that took place three months prior, and the uselessness and disregard for responsibility is abysmal. The world is not full of mothers willing to pick up after other people’s children, so people ought to pick up after themselves. What I wonder, however, is why the theatre department should disappear because of unattractive signs? Of course, improvement and enhancement should always be sought, but I doubt that the disappearance of theatre enhances the campus. It serves as an outlet for the shy and emotional, brings students together as friends and provides valuable experiences. All they need is better signage, and that should be an easy fix.
I agree, there should not be banners plastered all over, it doesn’t look nice. And those stations (for lack of the real term) to hang flyers or posters that are behind the glass outside on campus, are empty, not shut, and nothing in there but shreds of paper. It seems as though there is no one responsible for a lot of things on the outside of campus. There have been no lights on the top floor of the parking garage on the side by the library for almost a month now! ALso I have never seen anything in those boards that should be there, other than old scraps of paper.
I can appreciate your frustration. WCSU has come a long way since the 90′s both academically and aesthetically. The gate added a hint of prestige, and should not have banners hung from it. I doubt the Arc De Triumph has advertisements for the Eifel Tower plastered across it.