HOT Postcards

[spewie]

"Dear St Andrews Student,

We've got loads planned for Orientation!
Check out our website for info and ticket bookings - www.YourUnion.net

Can't wait to see you!

From all of us at the Students' Association"

I received two of these postcards this morning. Apparently, "It's going to be a HOT one!", with the likes of *big name* stars like Javine [end sarcasm].

Everyone knows when Orientation Week starts - so why the need for a postcard? Is this flagrant use of "Union Funds" justified?

Perhaps if the Union started to accomodate for the needs/wants of the student population, excessive promotion wouldn't be required.

Why the delay of the announcement of the "TBA" evening on Saturday the 25th?

The suspense is intolerable! Any guesses as to who will 'perform'?!

Lower drink prices = More clients, just look at the Vic on a Tuesday...

[hr]nobody said it was easy

[Ashley]

I was quite depressed to read mine this morning: "Dear St Andrews student..."

No need to rub it in, I won't be studying in St Andrews for at least a semester...

[Prophet Tenebrae]

I'm with spewie - it goes without saying. I think my recent posts in Orientation Lineup thread sum up my point.

So let's see... maybe 6,000 cards, at maybe 3p each? That would be £180. Now, assuming that estimate is even half-way accurate (which I'm not even trying to suggest) would you rather...

a. Have the postcard
b. Have something like 10 bottles of vodka used in some giant fruit punch type thing?

My point here is - why is the Union seemingly so lacking in pragmatism? Because I personally think option B would be better - and let's face it pretty fucking cool.

I hope Melville has some of their old skool bin cocktails. Murray, if you can hear me - I'll have a bin of the blue stuff!

[Mohawk]

hello mate, good to see you online ,

the to be announced thing is because one of the major bands pulled out,

as Bonnie will probably tell you in a few minutes when she sees it,

i think the postcards are a good idea, as it tells people when orientation is, and at least reffers them to a line up, this postcard is going to all students including freshers,

the bar isn't ran by the union entertainments as such, it's a different entity, they could have promotions but it would mean the loss of constantly low priced drinks,

ony my lunch break just now, best get back on the road and into work.

[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[spewie]

[s]Mohawk wrote on 13:06, 2nd Sep 2004:
the to be announced thing is because one of the major bands pulled out


So there's nothing planned yet? How about a Mrs. St. Andrews?

nobody said it was easy

[niall]

[s]Mohawk wrote on 13:06, 2nd Sep 2004:
major bands pulled out,




that was tuesday nights "band", and they have been replaced anyway...

[benedict]

'b. Have something like 10 bottles of vodka used in some giant fruit punch type thing?'

...as long as it wasn't chili vodka.

then again that could be amusing. watching 10 freshers have to drink the whole chili vodka fruit punch in a night. could be quite a spectacle. fill a paddling pool & give them all straws. hmm, i see a fresher's week party idea developing.

[mottthehoople]

whens the start of oriontaion week because i do not know.

[Buffy]

the week before classes start,bad with dates but I think the 20th is the Monday??? so count from there

[Mohawk]

[s]mottthehoople wrote on 14:50, 2nd Sep 2004:
whens the start of oriontaion week because i do not know.


i think it starts officially the 19th (Sunday) with the disco in the evening, as outlined on yourunion.net and this sparkling postcard i have pinned to my wall

[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[Slash wannabe]

[s]Prophet Tenebrae wrote on 13:02, 2nd Sep 2004:

So let's see... maybe 6,000 cards, at maybe 3p each? That would be £180.


Erm dude your forgetting the most expensive bit - the postage.

Its stamped postage but lets just say the stamping costs no more or less than putting a normal stamp on it. Although I would imagine the postage is less than 21p for the union lets just consider it this way. So if they were going to send one it would cost 21p for postage + 3p for production say.

Thats £1440 (well maybe slightly less) of union money being spent on sending out a piece of card with virtually no info on it. Some people cant even check out the website because they may not have a computer or the internet. Well spent money if it contains a fair amount of info of whats going on but it doesnt.


[hr]
IMAGE:www.pushposters.co.uk/new/thumbs/a/S_a06015.jpg

[Mohawk]

maybe Oli should come and explain it, personally i think he's done a good job,

maybe the budget for acts is different for advertising?

[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[quarterstaff]

hey kids...

the postcards are essential to letting people know when freshers week is - lots of people will not know to look at the union website unless told about it.

many returning students who dont go on here or the union website are unaware of what the arrangements are...


the postcards are part of a drive to comnbat this ignorance.

which band pulled out? i hope it was not havana swing. they are great.


(who is the martyr now, hehehe!)

[Mohawk]

(who is the martyr now, hehehe!)



i think i may owe you a drink now.....


[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[Prophet Tenebrae]

[s]Mohawk wrote on 16:17, 2nd Sep 2004:[i]
maybe Oli should come and explain it, personally i think he's done a good job,

maybe the budget for acts is different for advertising?

I think everyone is aware of your unwavering faith and solidarity with the Union and everything therein.

Regardless of whether the budgets are different - the money at the end of the day all comes from the same pot.

As to the price of the cards - well, obviously if it costs more that makes it more serious but really this is a point of principle more than anything. It just seems so stupid to waste x amount on telling people about an event they already know about.

I just feel the Union should be encouraging people to feel like it's a cool place to be - and what better way to do that than A GIANT PUNCHBOWL!

And just so there is no doubt in anyone's mind - this is not any kind of attack on anyone's ability to do their job - and yes, I have become obsessed with giant punchbowls.

[Mohawk]

[s]Prophet Tenebrae wrote on 16:45, 2nd Sep 2004:



I just feel the Union should be encouraging people to feel like it's a cool place to be - and what better way to do that than A GIANT PUNCHBOWL!




ten you are forgetting that the union has a duty of care to uphold, it cannot be seen giving away alcohol at rockbottom prices, when it has policies to stop alcohol abuse..


[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[Students Association]

This year, to prevent returning students from being kept in the dark, we decided to send EVERY student (first, second, third, fourth years and postgrads) some information about what is going on in Orientation.

In previous years, there have been complaints that only first years have received information through the post, and we didn't think that it was fair to keep everyone else in the dark until they actually arrived here.

Colour postcards usually cost around 5p per card when printing 5000.

We printed 7500, and they cost us nothing to print. They have been provided for us by a company called Boomerang, which also provides the postcards you'll find in the rack just inside the foyer of the union. (Help yourself to a free postcard!)

The postage: if your card says it cost 21p, then that's how much it cost us to post it. You'll note that we didn't waste the extra 8p to send it first class.

Last year, we spent £2590 on posting packs to a fraction of the freshers (only those in the UK). This year, EVERYONE has been given information on how to find out what's going on, for much less!

[Prophet Tenebrae]

[s]Mohawk wrote on 16:48, 2nd Sep 2004:


[i]

ten you are forgetting that the union has a duty of care to uphold, it cannot be seen giving away alcohol at rockbottom prices, when it has policies to stop alcohol abuse..



No I'm not.

[Mohawk]

[s]Prophet Tenebrae wrote on 17:34, 2nd Sep 2004:


No I'm not.


if you want a bloomin paddling pool full of alcohol go do it..

[hr]
[s]quarterstaff wrote on 17:45, 27th Aug 2004:
i apologise to you all, but only mohawk is getting free drinks )

[spewie]

[s]Mohawk wrote on 16:48, 2nd Sep 2004:
it cannot be seen giving away alcohol at rockbottom prices, when it has policies to stop alcohol abuse..


Does that mean that the Union's prices are so *high*,(pinch of salt required!), to stop people drinking a lot? So if that is the case, how can the Union be seen to provide alcohol at cheaper than rock-bottom prices in the Off-Sales shop?

Do the promotions which (rarely) occur, not give away alcohol?

The best policy for the Union to stop alcohol abuse would surely be to close the bar.

Does charging £1 instead of £1.50+ for a pint encourage people to drink more?

NO!

It encourages people to go out and spend less money, not something the Union would like and/or benefit from. Maybe if that did happen, I might only receive 0 postcards next year, instead of 2.

Everyone who didn't know when Fres... oops... I meant 'Orientation Week'... was until you got the postcard(s), raise your hand...

nobody said it was easy