As of today, there have been nineteen days in April. And thus far we have received at least fifteen all-student emails about one thing or another. We’ve received emails about phone bills, server problems, name changes, a cluster being moved and more. Last year, when a student organization requested the use of all-student emails, they were turned down because the school did not want the privilege abused. But, now it seems as though the very people who were once limited the privilege have hypocritically dissolved their earlier decisions and are sending all-student emails as regularly as three times in one day.
Unfortunately, while sending an all-student email is a great way to get the word out with minimal effort and a reduction in waste paper, students become blind to today’s popular electronic communication and pass the message off like any other piece of junk mail. Is the continuous barrage of all-student emails so necessary when they are often deleted without so much as a glance? And more importantly, why do many members of the faculty and staff have easy access to the privilege, while students must plead with high level administrators to send word about something students may find truly interesting?
We at The Clock, understand the importance of some of these communiquès, but policies exist for a reason and need to be inviolate. Either end the frivolous e-mails and reserve the service for urgent or emergency announcements, or endow student organizations with the same ability to effectively communicate with our peers that is granted to the College’s employees.