Yearbook still undergoing growing pains
Mark Hensch
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: News
Pre-order sales of the Winona ended three weeks ago at a total of 172 copies sold, a number considerably lower than the past few years' average. The smaller sales occurred despite a compromise the Winona staff made last semester with students who disliked last year's format change.
Last November, 218 students signed a petition saying they disliked the format of the 2007-2008 Winona, which mostly contained candid and action-based shots instead of traditional portraits. The staff offered to take student photos for $1 so the disgruntled students could ensure that their photos appeared in this year's edition.
Only 30 students took advantage of the promotion.
"The picture-taking has been underwhelming with few names on the petition getting pictures," said junior Shannon Finn, the Winona's editor in chief. "The amount of photos students have purchased is incomparable with the concerns vocalized at the start of the year."
Senior Anastasia Ealey, who started last semester's petition, suggested several reasons for the sales drop.
"Maybe students do not have much money and are trying to be thrifty in light of the poor economy," she said. "Another possibility is that this particular process of taking photos for the yearbook is new on campus and students may not be completely aware of how it works."
But she doesn't blame the drop on the staff's response to the petition.
"I am very happy with the response from the Winona in regards to the petition," she said. "I think they have been very effective in answering the concerns of students who want a traditional yearbook feel without sacrificing the new layout."
Junior and freelance photographer Hannah Falldorf said she believes the problem stems from students not realizing the photo drive ensures them a picture in the yearbook for a low price. She advertised the service in the Grewcock Student Union during a promotion which ran Feb. 6 to Feb. 9. During this time Falldorf only sold 10 photos.
Last November, 218 students signed a petition saying they disliked the format of the 2007-2008 Winona, which mostly contained candid and action-based shots instead of traditional portraits. The staff offered to take student photos for $1 so the disgruntled students could ensure that their photos appeared in this year's edition.
Only 30 students took advantage of the promotion.
"The picture-taking has been underwhelming with few names on the petition getting pictures," said junior Shannon Finn, the Winona's editor in chief. "The amount of photos students have purchased is incomparable with the concerns vocalized at the start of the year."
Senior Anastasia Ealey, who started last semester's petition, suggested several reasons for the sales drop.
"Maybe students do not have much money and are trying to be thrifty in light of the poor economy," she said. "Another possibility is that this particular process of taking photos for the yearbook is new on campus and students may not be completely aware of how it works."
But she doesn't blame the drop on the staff's response to the petition.
"I am very happy with the response from the Winona in regards to the petition," she said. "I think they have been very effective in answering the concerns of students who want a traditional yearbook feel without sacrificing the new layout."
Junior and freelance photographer Hannah Falldorf said she believes the problem stems from students not realizing the photo drive ensures them a picture in the yearbook for a low price. She advertised the service in the Grewcock Student Union during a promotion which ran Feb. 6 to Feb. 9. During this time Falldorf only sold 10 photos.
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