Plastered on the walls and doors of campus buildings is a collage of advertisements for campus-based clubs and events. For the passerby, the ads create a colorful mosaic of low-grade paper. For the interested students, the excessive postings display an unclear, jumbled mass of redundant information.
Although ads are necessary to spread the word about clubs and events, a more ordered showcase would enhance student response and limit the trashy, unorganized look of the halls. Students do not know where to look or what to look for.
Now, the important postings are lost in the mess of ads. Overwhelmed by the clutter, students are immune to the creative ideas that were intended to draw them in. Instead of smothering the doors, walls and windows, the ads should be posted in an orderly fashion on bulletin boards in a consistent, uniform location.
Organizing the campus-oriented ads in a set location would free the obvious space for urgent notices. When public safety issues warnings including composite sketches of criminals, then the walls and doors should be used to alert students. Currently, the warnings just blend in with the overly posted alcohol awareness ads and information on peer tutors and leads are few and far between.
Rather than merely tagging ads with its stamp of approval, student development should take control of the mess and provide set locations for postings. With a few bulletin boards designated for ads, students will know where to go to find out what’s happening on campus.
It is understood that self promotion on campus is important in order to gain recognition for a club or a cause, but what happens when the event has come and gone? Too often there are several outdated ads, hanging on by the integrity of old tape, still posted well after an event’s passing. If putting up a plethora of ads or flyers is so commonplace, why should taking them down be any different?
Reorganizing the display of campus-oriented ads will increase student response and clean the walls and halls – a win, win deal.
