Dartmouth College
Class Newsletter Editors Handbook
Class Activities, Alumni Relations
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
Forward
The greatest strength of a class newsletter is that it is a personalized publication written by and about people who share years together at Dartmouth. It is important that each class have an active newsletter editor to keep classmates connected to each other and to the College. This is especially crucial in a reunion year.
Successful newsletters:
· keep classmates in touch with one another
· update classmates on class events and activities
· inform classmates about current Dartmouth news
This manual will guide you in designing, formatting and processing your newsletters. If you have any questions about class newsletters, please contact the current Class Newsletter Editors Association president or the Office of Class Activities at (603) 646-3200.
How Do I Become a Newsletter Editor?
Each newsletter editor is either appointed by the class president after consultation with the class executive committee or elected by the class (depending on how the class constitution is written). Some classes change editors at their reunions, but many classes retain the same newsletter editor for years. The length of your term depends on both your class’s constitution and how well you compose the newsletter during your time as editor.
What Are My Responsibilities?
As newsletter editor, you play an integral role in the communications process among new class officers and all class members. You provide a source of class spirit and cohesion, strengthening bonds within the class. As newsletter editor you can have a strong and positive impact on the overall success of your class.
Depending on your class’s decision, you may share the editor responsibilities with another classmate. You are also free to invite assistant or guest editors to bolster your newsletter efforts. Any arrangement is possible as long as it results in prompt and efficient newsletter production, and solid, effective class communications.
You should work together with your class secretary to gather news and achieve a balance of published news on classmates. Green “Take a Minute” cards (also known as TAM cards) can be included in your printed newsletter and are an excellent and easy way of gathering classmate news. Simply ask Class Activities to include them in your newsletter and have them sent back to your class secretary.
Newsletter editors should also work closely with the class webmaster, ensuring that all newsletters are posted to the class website. The webmaster can also be helpful in sending electronic newsletters to classmates and may be able to set up an electronic TAM card for classmates to submit their news to the editor or secretary via the class website.
The annual meeting of the Class Newsletter Editors Association takes place at Dartmouth during Class Officers Weekend every September and all editors are encouraged to attend. The weekend includes workshops specific to newsletter editors as well as Newsletter Editor Association elections. Every two years the vice president of the Class Newsletter Editors Association steps up as president and a new vice president is elected. Every third year a newsletter editor or secretary is elected as representative to the Alumni Council. A newsletter editor fills this position every other three-year term.
How Many Newsletters Should I Publish?
Class Activities suggests that newsletter editors publish three newsletters each year to keep classes strong and active. However, you choose when your newsletters go out. Some classes choose to send out a printed newsletter several times a year while others send every other newsletter electronically to save money on printing and mailing. Editors should work with their class executive committee to determine the best publishing plan.
What Should I Include in my Newsletter?
One of the best things about being a newsletter editor is that you have the flexibility to decide what content should go in your newsletter. While class secretaries work to submit brief class notes to the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, newsletter editors have the space and freedom to share more in-depth content. Many newsletter editors include the following types of information:
1. Updates from and information on various class officers and the class executive committee
2. Timely biographical news about classmates and their families
3. Immediate notification of a classmate’s death, supplementary to or longer than the Alumni Magazine obituary
4. Information on upcoming reunions, mini-reunions or classmate activities
5. Photos and reports of past classmate gatherings
6. Class project updates
7. Updates from the class’ Alumni Council representative
8. Requests for class dues participation
9. Information and observations on current Dartmouth activities and events
Here are some other fun ideas for your newsletter:
1. Profile an interesting classmate or group of classmates by doing a simple Q&A and including a photo. If you need help finding people to profile, Class Activities can get you a list of classmates by profession, employer, region, etc.
2. Survey classmates and publish survey results. Questions might pertain to memories of being a student, recent vacation spots, favorite books or opinions on a particular topic. Be creative!
3. Include a trivia or games section. Develop quizzes to test your classmates’ Dartmouth knowledge (i.e. how many Dartmouth presidents have had the letter “J” as an initial) or create a crossword puzzle or word find.
4. If your class or classmate has received an award from the College, include the award document, text of the recipient’s speech or photos of the award ceremony.
5. Reproduce photos from the Archives, the Aegis or the Green Book and do a “Remember When” section.
6. Highlight a current student or the recipient of your class’ undergraduate scholarship. Ask students to share their on-campus experiences.
7. Create a special themed issue. Examples include a Nostalgia issue around Homecoming or a newsletter that features all of the various artists in your class.
How Do I Gather News for My Newsletter?
News From Class Officers
Maintain good communications with the class president, secretary, webmaster, treasurer, reunion chair, mini-reunion chair, head agent, gift planning chair and Alumni Council representative. Don’t hesitate to solicit a few paragraphs from them now and again.
Dartmouth News Sources
A great deal of content is already produced by student organizations and the College and can be repurposed for inclusion in class newsletters. Below is a listing of some of the sources that may be of interest.
Dartmouth College Website – www.dartmouth.edu
Dartmouth Office of Alumni Relations – http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/
Dartmouth Alumni Council Website - http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/leadership/council
The Dartmouth/Daily D - http://thedartmouth.com/
The Dartmouth Alumni Magazine - http://dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/
The Office of Communications - http://communications.dartmouth.edu/
Speaking of Dartmouth - http://speakingof.dartmouth.edu/
Dartmouth Now - http://now.dartmouth.edu/
Dartmouth Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Dartmouth
Dartmouth Alumni Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/dartmouthalumni
Dartmouth Twitter - https://twitter.com/dartmouth
Dartmouth Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/dartmouthflickr
Dartmouth YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/Dartmouth
Contacting Classmates
For additional material, telephone calls and e-mails to classmates offer immediate results. At any time, you can request updated contact information for your classmates, complete with telephone and e-mail information. You may also choose to include your email address or a general class email address on your website or in your newsletter for people to share news with you.
Green Take-A-Minute Cards
As noted above, green Take-A-Minute Cards (TAM cards or green cards) are an excellent source of classmate news. To include these in your newsletter, simply ask Class Activities. Talk to your webmaster and secretary about the best way to utilize the cards. Your webmaster may be able to put an electronic green card on the class website as well.
Questionnaires/Surveys
Writing creative questionnaires often garners great response. Plus, you can spread the questionnaire information over several issues of the newsletter. Topics for your questionnaires can be as creative or as practical as you’d like. While some editors ask for general statistics (marital status, family size, etc.) others inquire about favorite beer brands or relaxing vacations.
Images
Photos enhance the look of your newsletter and are generally easy to find on the internet and social media. You can also request photos directly from your classmates. If you are using photos from another news source, be sure to cite where the photos came from.
Putting it All Together: Production, Printing and Mailing
Once you have all of the materials gathered for your newsletter, you can either do the design and layout yourself or ask for help. If you choose to do it yourself, you are free to use any software that works for you. Microsoft Publisher is a simple tool that is generally available through Microsoft Office Suite. InDesign, while more high-tech, is available through Class Activities and can be billed to your class treasury.
If you need assistance with the design and layout of your newsletter, speak with Class Activities. There is usually a newsletter editor student intern available to help at no cost to the class. R.C. Brayshaw, one of the design and printing companies that works on Dartmouth class newsletters, is also available to help for a small fee.
Editors can choose to have their newsletters printed by either R.C. Brayshaw or DPMS (Dartmouth Printing and Mailing Services). If no printer is designated Class Activities will use DPMS.
DPMS handles the mailing and TAM cards for every newsletter, regardless of the printer that is used.
Once your newsletter is complete and ready to print, the follow must take place:
1. Send your newsletter to Ray Garcia, Class Activities Coordinator in the Alumni Relations Office at . If you prefer to mail it in, send to Ray Garcia, Dartmouth Alumni Relations, 6068 Blunt Alumni Center, Hanover, NH 03755. If you are sending pieces of the newsletter to be laid out either by email or regular mail, be sure to send clear instructions on how you would like it put together.
2. Send clear instructions on how you would like your newsletter printed and mailed including:
· Printer: R.C. Brayshaw or DPMS
· Paper type and color
· Ink: color or black and white
· Layout instructions (if applicable)
· Postage: first class or non-profit
· Mailing format: folded self-mailer or mailed in an envelope
· TAM card return address (if applicable)
· Any special notes, need-by dates, requests or questions
3. Class Activities will gather your newsletter and all of your information for review before sending it to R.C. Brayshaw or DPMS, depending on the editor’s preference, along with your class newsletter mailing list (which is pulled from the College database).
4. The printer will then create a printing proof and send it to Class Activities. It will then be shared with the newsletter editor for final review. If there any changes, the editor should share them with Class Activities who will work with the printer to create an updated proof until all parties are satisfied with the final product.
5. Once the proof has been approved by both the newsletter editor and Class Activities, the newsletter will be printed.
6. Every newsletter gets sent to DPMS for mailing and insertion of TAM cards (if applicable) and will be mailed out according to the editor’s instructions.
7. Class Activities will track the entire newsletter production so that editors know where in the process their newsletter is. In general, it takes about 7-10 business days from the date of printing proof approval for a newsletter to go out in the mail and a few days extra for classmates to receive it, depending on the postage used.
8. Newsletter invoices will be sent directly to Class Activities for review. Charges will then be verified and entered into centralized billing. Class treasurers will receive an invoice with a breakdown of all newsletter-related expenses the month after the newsletter goes out.*
*On an annual basis, Alumni Relations subsidizes up to $400 of the printing of three newsletters for all classes and four for classes in a reunion year. The calendar year from this production is from July 1 to June 30. These subsidies cover printing only and do not apply to mailing and mail labor.
Advice and Ideas: Where Can I Get Help?
Software
Editors can use any software that they are comfortable with. The College recommends using Microsoft Publisher (usually available through newer versions of Microsoft Office) or InDesign (available from the College for $107).
Support from Class Activities/Alumni Relations
Class Activities in the Office of Alumni Relations is available from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm EST every Monday through Friday to offer guidance and assistance. Don’t hesitate to call, email or visit if you have questions or need some new ideas. Contact Ray Garcia at or (603) 646-3200.
Student Newsletter Intern
Class Activities almost always has a student intern available to help you with your newsletter. Contact Ray Garcia for more information.
Class Officers Weekend
Every September, class officers are invited to Class Officers Weekend, a fun and informative conference that allows officers to gather with their class executive committee and share best practices with other classes. It is at Class Officers Weekend that the annual meeting of the Class Newsletter Editors Association takes place. If you are looking for fresh ideas or are coming on board as a new editor, you won’t want to miss Class Officers Weekend.
Class Newsletter Editors Association Website
The Class Newsletter Editors Association webpage is full of resources and information on newsletter editors. Visit http://dartmouth.imodules.com/s/1353/clubs-classes-interior.aspx?sid=1353&gid=7&pgid=3635 anytime to access an electronic copy of this handbook as well as links to sources of information and content. Also available are links to the classes that make electronic copies of their newsletters available online.
Class Newsletters Facebook Page
Connect with your fellow editors at https://www.facebook.com/groups/579261198934335/
Peer Advice
Fellow Dartmouth Class Newsletter Editors are a wonderful resource. Contact Class Activities if you would like to be put in touch with other newsletter editors. As editor, you will receive a copy of any newsletter that gets mailed out from the two classes older and two classes younger than yours. Use these samples as a way to collect new ideas and see what your peers are doing.