War of the Worlds
In this amazing age of high-speed internet, ever-increasing numbers of people have come to depend on web-based services as their primary method of communication. Instead of sending letters through “snail mail,” these people are now communicating in a virtual world in which email reigns supreme. Instantaneous, convenient, and nearly effortless, email has revolutionized the ways in which businesses communicate with clients, families communicates with relatives, and friends communicate with friends - everybody is just one quick email away.
Believe it or not, many universities have also leapt headfirst into this realm of virtual communication, one of which is our very own Case Western Reserve University. CASE has broken free of the old-school limits of pen and paper with the creation of personal email accounts for all members of the university community. From the loftiest administrator to the newest freshman, all are given free @case.edu addresses. This innovative measure occupies a significant place in the lives of most CASE students, who depend on their personal CASEmail to keep them well-informed of various happenings in and around the university. Though some students soon grow tired of scrolling through mass-mailings (especially the ones cranked out by Case Daily), I find that students seldom venture beyond the Inbox to get their CASE news of the day- top stories include upcoming BBQ’s and Indians’ tickets giveaways, Bursar notifications and USG functions. The list goes on. As CASE PerceptIS writes on their webpage: Email is the part of our technology environment people use the most.
With such a cohesive hold on the workings of the university, email is threatening to make public posting obsolete. After all, if it can be accomplished in the virtual world with just one click of a mouse, why, then, would anyone elect to publish public postings in the physical realm of the university?
As pointless as the “public posting” practice may seem to some, many others in the Case community still find it fulfilling, and rather effective, to post colorful fliers and eye-catching posters on tangible surfaces around the campus - from the doors of Thwing Center to the tables in Weatherhead – from the walls of Adelbert to the now overcrowded bulletin kiosk on Mather Quad. Every person who comes upon these public displays, regardless of “mailing-list” affiliation or club membership, can see for themselves who in Norton sill needs a roommate, which movie is showing at the film school, or when Anthony’s Little Italy Pizzeria will be accepting applications. True, the virtual world of communication boasts unmatched speed and “at-your-fingertips” appeal. However, the physical world of posting offers the much sought-after “personal touch” of handcrafted messages.
Both CASEmail and campus posting occupy prominent places in their respective worlds, each one offering some facilitation unique to their roles in university communication. Which is the more useful of the two? That, my friends, is a question no one can answer. Nevertheless, if rigidity and functionality, a “strictly business” method, are what you seek in your daily communications at the university, then email is your best option. With this, you will be of the same mind as what has become the majority. However, if you ever discover a spark of creativity and long to embed it into a method of communication, then locate the nearest surface and post your message. Trust me, no one will click “Expunge.”
Comments