Well, there's The Spectrum and Generation and . that other magazine. You know, the biweekly one with glossy covers featuring Jimmy Fallon and former President Bill Clinton.
The "other" student-run publication is Visions, "The Student Association's biweekly promotional newsletter, aimed at advertising and publicizing SA events and clubs" as stated on its contents page. The issue of Visions - its effectiveness, quality and its existence - surfaced repeatedly during The Spectrum's SA candidate endorsement process last Friday. The UB Students' Party manifestly expressed its disapproval of Visions as currently printed. Their suggestions for the magazine ranged from turning it into an insert inside The Spectrum to eliminating the publication altogether.
The Results Party, in contrast, stands by Visions as a work in progress. They see the magazine, which costs $20,000 per year to publish, as an effective means for SA to circulate its message among students. Results pointed to Visions as a fulfilled campaign promise, positing that Visions helped opened lines of communication between them and students. SA President Christian Oliver made a strong point of keeping Visions as a work in progress where the years and experience of the staff accumulate to improve the product.
Improvement is certainly needed. The magazine contains remarkably little substantive content for a 20-plus-page publication. The current issue highlights the flaws. A two-page spread highlighting No Doubt's appearance on April 12, complete with ticket information, is accompanied by an advertisement on the back page for No Doubt - complete with ticket information. The same duplication of information applies in a story and advertisement for the SA Camaro raffle. Two pages feature random, caption-less photographs of events in the Student Union, certainly nothing of any informative value.
A newsletter designed to publicize SA events failed to properly promote the most important SA event of the year: the elections. "Petitions Available Today" is the only notice given to UB students about filing to run in next week's election. The half-page advertisement offers no substantive information about the positions, their duties, and the responsibilities they entail or anything designed to further educate UB students about the elections. A little more in-depth analysis would be beneficial, perhaps on the page featuring the large photo of porn star Ron Jeremy.
Despite criticism, Visions is a good idea. SA needs, and should have, a publication designed to convey information to the students who provide their $2 million operating budget. Visions' content needs to be more than just ads for Jimmy Fallon and Bill Clinton, though. Their resources allow them a tremendous voice that needs to be substantive. Instead of anonymous photographs, how about publishing the minutes of the SA Assembly and Senate meetings, any bills and amendments up for consideration in the body, and pertinent information from NYSSA delegates about activities in Albany? Nourish the underfed content of Visions so students have another source of information - outside The Spectrum - about student government instead of just student clubs. Highlighting clubs is important, and Visions has improved upon that, but the magazine should reflect the same balance of academics and recreation that mirrors student life.
Visions is in its infancy. It's a good idea and some good ideas take time to grow. But quality must accompany growth; otherwise that progress becomes a waste of time.
