EDITORIAL: Increasing engagement at CMU must be a team effort
Right now, with COVID-19 restrictions and many students choosing to stay home this semester, the campus feels distant and lonely.
When it is operating at its best, the Central Michigan University student experience is fueled by a sense of togetherness and social engagement. Both seem to be missing right now.
Students, faculty and staff have very little besides classes to bring them together. The virtual events that are meant to engage and entertain students fall short of doing so.
This fall, students complained about the lack of activities the university was providing to them – and reasonably so. This semester is a different story. In February alone, there are plenty of activities for students, but the promotion of extracurriculars falls terribly short.
Wellness Day events got very little attention from students who may not have seen the two social media posts made by the university and Program Board. Time will tell whether Black History Month events are attracting student attention.
If the university wants to see increased student engagement, the promotion of events has to go beyond a Facebook post from Program Board – an account that only 5,000 follow.
Departments have branded themselves apart when they should be thinking as a team and getting the word out to the entire campus community. Every college and department is CMU. Promotion should be a joint effort and it should be ongoing.
We aren't going to criticize these efforts without volunteering to help organizers spread the word. Central Michigan Life is here to help you inform students about ways to engage with their campus community. We want to inform students, faculty and staff about upcoming events that they can enjoy.
Send us press releases and the information we need to help you promote those events. We will help you get the word out. With RSO's meeting virtually and events being held over WebEx, physical bulletin boards don't work anymore. We will help amplify your message through our social media, daily email newsletters and other products.
Everybody is trying to stay engaged, but it is hard. Everything is more difficult with COVID-19. Let’s work together as a university to become closer and not lose our personal connections.
Send press releases to editor@cm-life.com or call 774-1678 to leave a message about upcoming events.
