ERIC ED123613: Publicizing the College Reading and Study Skills Program.

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AUTHOR. ■:

BOB .plTE
NOTE '

EDHS PBICE
DESCRIP-fORS

DOCDHEIT EESOHE

CS 002 700

Bruckner, Lil$ ' , . • »

Publicizing: the College Reading and Study Skills
P.irograni. * - * . * '

9p.; Paper presented a^: the Annual neeting of the
National Reading Conference (Houston, Texas, November
1973) ' •

HF-$0.83 HC-$1.67 Plu^s i>osta'ge.

♦College Programsr *Publicize; *Reading Programs.;
^School Study Centers; *Study Skills

ABSTRACT • * .

The purpose of this paper is to offer publicity ideas^
fdr college reading and sttfdy skills programs. Examined are such
basic publicity materi?ils as brochures, posters, slide-tape
presentations, handouts, ' and newspaper articles. Sixty-one publicity
ideas are suggested, including offering a study skills workshop to
freshman athletes before school^ ©peas; explaining center programs to
orientation counselors; setting up an information table at
registration; meeting with , readmitted students to explain center
progtams; setting up a display in the campu^ library; placing
individualized posters in.^each college of the university; placing
flyers in student mailboxes; and working with the foreign student
advisor to reach internationals with coarse information. (TS) •

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sO

U S OEPAi^TMENT OF HEALTH,
e0UCA.TI0N4>WEUFA«E

'nationalinstituteof
education

uu<> pocuMENT HAS aetN RePRO-

OUCED EXACTLY AS ReCEiVCO FROM
?Hf PERSON OR 0RGAN.2AT.0N ORIGIN-
I^fNG .T POINTS OP V.EW OR OPiN^NS
STATED OO NOT ^^eCESSARItV REPRE-
SENT OFF. KtAL NAT. OUAL iNSTrrUTOQf
EDUCATION POSITION OR POLKV

Llla Bruckner '
Comunlcatlon Skllls^
> Develppment. Ccntei^v
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina

T59208

O

PiG^TiO VAT^PiA MAS Ptt^^ _lMAN'

^ Lila Bruckner

3

OUCTlON OUTSlOf THf t«'C bYST^V 4

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PUBLICIZING THE. COLLEGE READING
-AND STUDY SKILLS PROGRAM

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ERIC

Llla Bruckner
^The University of South Carolina

(k paper presented to the 1973 ann^aJL meeting of the National l(eadlng Con-»

ference November 21, 1973, in Houstonr, Texas.) .

Introduction

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The response to an article on publicity^' ideas will largely depend on

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vhere the reader is located on the contiriuym of college reading -centfers.

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At one end are those where reading cours/s ate mandatory for 'all students
falling below • certain scf^re on a serening l|?vice, be It the SAT, TAPE,
Nelson-penny, or one of a doxen « ■ore InstruMnts. Enough students, or

Bruckner 2

perhaps too many, are generally assured. The thought of attracting more Is
qkckly rejected. On the other end, however, Are those centers where stu-

dents' come voluntarily for help. There are no. required courses. No credit

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'is given. In between there are various combinations of voluntary, credit,

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and mandatory programs. Tha need is alwayB^^ present , but whatever studants

come on their own volition, puj>31^1clty becomes essential in letting them
know what is available. , \

The Communication Skills Pev^lopment Geiiter of the University of South
Carolina is part of the Counseling Bureau and under the Division of Studen^
Affairs. It serves falling freshm'en through 4.0 graduate students. It /s
located on the fringe of the campus. Most services are offered to stilts
on a volunteer basis. To date no credit' is given. Modest fees arycharged
for each' program offered. ^ • ^ '

The phenomenal growtjh experienced by the CSDC is closely related to an

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li^creaslng publicity effort. The purpose of th^a lAper is to/ sh^re with
other centers publicity ideas that have -worked for' the CSDC and ideas t^iat
are planned for future implementation. First, a list of basic publlcltf^
materials 'seems in order. Then attention will be given to a wldtf" vari/ty
of ways, they and a few additional materials may be used. -r-

Basic Publicity MatSflali^ /
Brochures. An attractive soft-sell brochure printefd on quality paper- seems
a must. It should describe programs in a general -((ay ^nd 'include dlrec-
tlons for enrolling! , If thoughtfully designed it can be used for two or
more years. The^ color of ink may be changed for each printing. Up-to-date
lists of programs available an?I class .cheduias may 'be Inserted a^ appro-
priate.

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Posters > A poster may be'^a^lgned and photographed for production of mul-
tiple copies on vartLous ^c^lojj^^'H^card stock. Cost per poster is little

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more than the cost of the materials wJifem^dered In quantities of one hun-*
dfed or more.

An artlstlq student aide might also^ design Individual p^atets with
cartoon' drawings that relatB to specific schools of the universit^/where
they are dfsplayed. * ^ y . '

Slide-Tape Presentations . Two types of slide-tapef pack(iges a^e desirable.
One would take five to tenXminutes to present center programs available to
students. Care should be taRan to have the script and phfitography attrac-
tive to a wide range ic/f studen^.

A brief slide-tape package designed "^o explain thj^enter programs to
parents, faculty, and administrat^ioh is also /neede^f Ldcal reading ^nd
s'^dy skill needs of the students could be included. It is Important that

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the. need ^or the center is recognized among the^unlversitycognumity^

suppi^t is essential. '•- //

Most colleges and universitj^ Iwye ^edia s
and assure a professional produjift.

lallsts who will ad^se

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Handouts . Readli^g and study 'skill hand6uta_gIiojild bey^repatfed for a ^

ariety of uses. Often these are mlmedgrap^d.^St^a4'-^rI^t^ed
use when the supply runs low. C0lore<ff i%er -We^ses-'ffe. attractiveness^^.^
The present paper' shortage ^jnl-teq^ife^^^^toth^sides ol ^^L^^^t.Q;a^ J
care in' selecting significant, help£^i^ri^<it^ coijld^fi^^a^C^titi^ia^^
■ scheduling^ test taking, '^fidingj^ti/ listeai^^ and ge^firall
^ Newspaper Articles . Maintaining a alaod relationship with the studcntjj^B-

paper personnel la esseht^l., TKe |H3«8ib£l>l^ for h^JtMj^pkld [
. clea ijtt the newapapeif atfe J-^*^ ^

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Sixty-One Publicity Ideas
Contact high-school counselors about programs available to incQming
freshmen. • • ,

Present information on center prog/ams to grou^ s of college-bound high
school' seniors*

Plan a pre-college "clinic*^ or prep .program 1* reading and study skills
(during the summer for Incoming freshmen.

Offer a study skill workshop to jthe freshmen atfhlctes before school

opens/ ' * * ''^''''^'^^'^'''^^'^^^^-^^^

Explain center. progi;ams to orientation coimselors.

Include brochures *ln the fr^hmcin- orieiitation pa<jkets.

Use the, slide^a:pe presentation during freshmen orientation.

Prepare a video-tape presentation^for' freshmen orientation that cap- »

tureff a discussion of study skill problems and needs by students Who \

are already making the grade.

ErovJtafe a mini-course like "Effective Listening" as an option during
freshmen orientation.

Encourage oriejdtation counselors to include a Brief stop at the center
in their campus tour.

Set. up an' information table at the activity fair at registration.
Arrange a drawing at the registration information table for a fre^ cen-
ter course.

Send a letter of congratulations and claaajpeKedules to the^co^rse

winner<^ ^ ^

Send a letter iTo non--wjim6^ thanking thM iojc^theii^inte^^
axourse schedule and^offer a free houit^ln^ the learning

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Bruckner

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15.
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24.

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29.

30.

Mee.t with readml^tted students to explain center programs.

Provide program information *o coT(rectional institutions to assist

ex-

inmates enroU-ing in the university.

Talk with transfer students on regional campuses abdut qenter programs.
Attend the' hall advisor workshop to explain p^rograms that could be
offered In residence haljLs.

Offer hall advisors discounts or free courses for arranging reading or

study skill programs In their residences. *

Maintain brochure and Information areas In residence halls.

Set up a display In the campus library. Include brochures, schedules

and stucy handouts*

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Place a number of study and reading books on reserve at the library
desk while the display is set up. ^ \ / . ^

23. Provide

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aJUtractlve bookmarks at thtfl library check-^ut with center in-

formatlcn« . ^ x

Keep brochures and pchedules of courses at the student^unlon Informa-

tlon deqk.

Place a poster with a pocket for class schedulfes in a pjfoalpent place
in the etudent union.

Malntalti an Itrfon^tlon t^Xe fartfie ^tud^t ynion for the first week

Tape fl
Plan an

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_.of each semester.

Place individualized posters in each college or diyision of the univer-
sity •

rex^ lliside n^strooS*^ talis offer^g^a^cw otjjnusual program.

open house with refreshments in ttle^nter periodically. Dem-

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onstrats programs available.
PlacfiL^new uourae-ittfofSatioii in t\)3t claJjlfied ads of the school news-
paper. ' ' g

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31. Arrange f or ja feature article on the center with pictures In the news-

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paper. , •

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32. Include course information li;i the i\ew8paper« • .

33. Prepare unu8ua[l paid advettliements^or ^he newspaper.

3At Publish a •ummary of prostam rtiulta In.tht ntwapapar at tha and of

each saaester. , •

35. Prepare spot announcements for the campus radio station*

36. Work with Infoi^tion services on a feature article for the alumni
newspaper. , ' - -

37. Provide Informat^c^^on^^pjf' classes or events for Inclusion in^^e tampus

calendar.

.38. Feature a. new. idea each month. In February offfir a "Sweetheart Special."
A couple may take a cotyy^ for the j^f^ee of one student.

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39, Offer group mSJiding or study sfci-H-^ests; at minimal rates or free. ^

40. ,Place fl^^t^ in studenTntell^oxes, ^ . • .

41. Prepare >complet ion cards or cepttj^c ates for center classes. ,

42. Arrange for handouts or Information sheets to be distributed In Ei[igllsh

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and/or|hlstor5rN^Ji^ises. . - -

43$ Offer frej? help on test taking at exam time. Provld^ tapes for^se In ' ^

the lab or form one or two hour classes toy: gr^up help. ^ v

44. Enlist the help of studtmts who we lenrolled In classes. Glve*them re-
duced rates on other dourses for getting their friends enrolled.

45. Recruit a student advlsoty ^oup to helpi In planning and outreach.

46. Arpaj^^^^^kT^rJefi^ about center programs university organlza-

/ tidhs. ' • ' " .

47. Work with the foreign undent advisor to reach Internationals with

course Information. ^ / ^

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48* Inform host families of reading and study skill help available to in-
ternationals. * . -

49. Ofle^'help to graduate students to pass advanced tests and sharpen
. » writing skills*

50. Suggest special classes in listening for tKainees in counseling and
social work. ' ' ' , ^ -

51. ' Work with the veterans* coordinator to let veterans know about available

programs. > " -

52. Meet with groups of mature women returning to the uniyersity to offer •
help in study skills.

53. Send letters and brochure^ once a year to alert faculty ^meol^W=^b cen-^
ter services-. /

5^.' Arrange drop-ins for the faculty of each college or department.

55, 'Offer to faulty membef^help in teaching their students' how to read

their textbooks. This^-jca^t be carried out during regular class periods.

56. Provide readability level checks of college te?ctbooka to professors who
request them. ' 'x

57, Set up rapid reading courses fpr ftfculty and staff.

58. Form a faculty x^i^isory t^ouocil foif the center.

59, Recruit faculty members to donate time occasionally td assist students
in studying particular subjects. ' \

60. Arrange for occasional feature articles on the center in local news-

papers.

61. Arrange to ie on talk «hpv8 on radio and TV to^^cpMin center progr^ds

to the community 4

Of course, all of tde-^deap cannot Wj»8^d <5aph semester. Hopefully,
each school will analyse i^'needa and ^lelect ideas appropriate to meet