Alumnae Quarterly to publish combined fall/winter issue
The next issue of the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly magazine will be a combined fall/winter issue, published late this year. The change to the publication schedule was made due to staffing and budget constraints as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
This decision, approved by the Alumnae Association Board of Directors during a meeting in September, follows other cost-saving measures that have been put in place regarding magazine production since the beginning of the pandemic. In April, during the production of the spring issue of the Alumnae Quarterly, concerns about international mailing constraints at the time led to the decision to not mail the issue overseas. As a result, the Alumnae Association introduced a new online magazine platform, which includes the opportunity for alums to read the entire issue, including class notes, and to share, download and print articles or the full issue.
The summer issue, published in August, was produced during a time of continued budget uncertainties and staff constraints and was published in an online-only format, utilizing even more of the features of the new platform, including embedding video.
The plan for the next issue is to produce a standard-length issue and distribute it in print and digitally. As the Alumnae Quarterly continues to utilize the new online platform in new ways, this online issue will include longer versions of class notes, offering valued class scribes the opportunity to report more news of classmates and for that news to be shared broadly.
As the Alumnae Association continues to work to produce and distribute the magazine in the most cost-effective manner, we encourage readers who prefer to receive the magazine digitally to log in to the online directory and select no hard copy as delivery preference. Readers may also request to receive the digital version only by sending an email to ais@mtholyoke.edu.
September 25, 2020
I agree with your comment
Please keep me on the Alumnae Quarterly list to receive it in the hard copy version.
You will continue to receive the magazine. There is an option to receive it electronically if you wanted.
Hello
I’m very happy to have access to an online version of the Quarterly. I’ve been trying to update the online directory to request no hard copy, but I can’t seem to find the right button. Can you advise please?
Anne-Marie Rodriguez ’90
Hi Anne-Marie.
To update no hard copy, it’s the first tab on your profile. You can always email ais@mtholyoke.edu to let them know of this update too.
I think it would be a mistake on the College’s part not to continue with mailing the Alumnae Quarterly. The Quarterly is one of the strongest connecting blocks of the Alumnae to MHC, and weakening that connection will not help either party (YO – especially in fund raising!). I would suggest that MHC consider it a fundraising cost in the budget, as opposed to an admin expense, or wherever it resides now.
Best for the environment and I understand the most cost effective to have on-line Quarterly. I would prefer the digital version to be the default, with an opt out option for those who prefer paper copy.
Laurel Chain today alerted me to the fact the summer Quarterly had been published online. I guess I missed an earlier notice re publication. Checked it out tonight (10-20-2020). I looked at the class notes. Titles of articles. Did not read any as print too small. I echo the comments of alums above.
Also, many in the classes out 60 or more years do not use the Internet or even have e-mail addresses. The Association needs to conserve resources. I realize that. However, I fear the Association and the College may lose contact with older alumnae. That is a loss to both the alumna, the Alumnae Association, and the College.
I’ll read short stuff online…like Class Notes, but prefer articles in print form. I spend too much time at my computer now. thanks. ellie
I agree! Living overseas, the AQ is a lifeline to community. I am OK with fewer but longer issues if it is a question of printing frequency. I don’t read the Laurel Chain too much.
Thank you for all your thoughtful considerations: I’m grateful for an online version rather than nothing as I appreciate having the content in one place. The savings are not insignificant.
I also agree with Elizabeth Stone above that I was disappointed that the Quarterly was only available online. I usually look forward to reading the entire magazine, but this summer I only read the Class Notes. Please continue to send out the print version, although it could come twice a year if that helps save costs during these difficult times.
I was very sad to see the summer Quarterly in online format only. If the Quarterly cannot be sent in print form, I don’t see a need for it at all, since alums can get College news from the Laurel Chain and class news from the class websites. I usually read the Quarterly cover to cover, but in the summer issue, I just read my class notes.