Publishing a university computing service newsletter

摘要

The university computing services newsletter is the most effective, efficient and consistent way to reach the largest number of computer users. It can also be more than a way to disseminate technical information and news to computer users. The newsletter is tangible evidence of the activities of computing services staff both for end-users and university administrators. It serves as a record of the progress of the computing services, provides incentive for staff to complete projects in a timely manner and signifies a commitment by the computing services to a stable end-user environment.

In 1986, Tulane Computing Services (TCS) went from intermittent production of a newsletter which received little attention from users to a six-times yearly, professional quality publication which has attracted the attention of the University computing community, University administrators and computing services and libraries at other universities. There were eight key factors involved in this transition: (1)management commitment (financial, technical and personnel) to a professional quality newsletter; (2) access to state-of-the-art desktop publishing technology; (3) increased staff commitment to the publication; (4) cooperation with the administrative department responsible for all University publications; (5) development of a consistent newsletter format compatible with that used for all TCS publications; (6) dedication to providing a stable end-user environment; (7) increased access to information from computing services administrators, systems programmers and operations staff; and (8) the hiring of an individual with graphics design and computer expertise who was primarily responsible for all desktop publishing done within the computing services.