The CSA operates an all-campus email announcement system, to which all students are automatically subscribed. This system can be used by any student group, office, or department to distribute current announcements and relevant links.

Twice a week, a single message containing all of the recently submitted announcements is sent out to all subscribers.

If you have already read the guidelines and would like to submit an announcement, you can scroll to the bottom of this page for the instructions. 

If you would like to be added to the group that receives the “Campus Announcements” email twice a week, please email the CSA Secretary.

Usage Guidelines

Introduction

The following rules are intended to be the guidelines to ensure the smooth operation of the CSA Campus Announcement email system.

Purpose of the System

The CSA Campus Announcement email system is envisioned as a route for students to become better informed of events on campus that concern them. Rather than yet another route for students to receive announcements of events, it is the goal of this system to be an efficient method, both in time and resources, to get the word out to the student body in a manner that compliments other established announcement routes and in an unobtrusive manner that does not merely frustrate the recipients.

The system is intended to be used primarily by student organizations, but also by academic and college departments, to announce events that concern a wide portion of the student body.

It is also intended that the system will help move the College towards becoming more environmentally friendly, since groups’ use of the CSA Campus Announcement email system will help eliminate their need to do paper mailings.

Amending and Changing these Rules

Recognizing that the system is fundamentally created for and administered by students, the overall responsibility for the system shall lie with CSA Senate, as the governing body of CSA. It shall be Senate’s duty to administer the email and delegate the task to someone of their choosing. The designated person shall be responsible for determining if submitted material is suitable to be distributed based on the rules below. This responsibility typically falls to the CSA Secretary.

Senate shall have the ability to amend or change these rules, but should seek input from relevant departments before making substantial changes. It should be noted that since these rules are in fact just guidelines, it is not anticipated that the rules will have to be changed unless the basic focus of the system also needs to change.

Since the nature of the distribution is electronic and depends on the College’s network infrastructure, the Information and Technology Services (ITS) department should be considered to have extra say on the implementation and normal operation of the system. Any ITS concerns with the system should be dealt with by Senate in as timely a fashion as possible.

Rules for Use of the CSA Campus Announcement email system

Required Formatting

  • Word Limit: Each announcement submitted to the Campus Announcement email system must adhere to a strict word limit of 250 words. This ensures concise and focused communication.
  • Mandatory TLDR/BLUF: At the beginning of each announcement, a “Too Long; Didn’t Read” (TLDR) or “Bottom Line Up Front” (BLUF) section is required. This section should include the following essential details:
    • Name of Event: Clearly state the title of the event.
    • Time/Date: Specify when the event will take place.
    • Location: Indicate where the event will be held.
    • Food Information: If applicable, mention the availability of food.
    • Registration Links: Provide a link for registration if required.

Who can use it?

The system shall be open to any CSA chartered organization, Carleton academic department, Carleton administrative department, or un-chartered group of students whose submitted entry for the email meets these rules. The system is open to active students, faculty and staff of the College.

When should you send an announcement?

  • The system sends emails twice a week: Sunday and Wednesday evenings. 
  • Submissions are due at 11:59 p.m. on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
  • Messages submitted between Wednesday and Saturday will be included in the Sunday evening edition of the CSA Campus Announcement email. This would be a good opportunity to include events happening during the week.
  • Messages submitted between Sunday and Tuesday will be sent in the Wednesday evening edition of the CSA Campus Announcement email. This would be a good opportunity to include events happening during the weekend.

What can it be used for?

  • The system can be used for announcements of events sponsored by organizations or departments where it is judged that the event would appeal to a significant portion of the student body. Rather than normal meetings, only announcements of “special” events that do not occur often should be allowed.
  • Examples of this include one-time events such as speakers of note, important panel discussions, and upcoming committee meetings where an important discussion will be held. The announcement of the first meeting of a newly formed group is also considered acceptable.

What can it not be used for?

  • The system cannot be used to announce regularly scheduled meetings or to remind people of recurring events. It also cannot be used to make announcements of news items or distribute editorials.
  • Examples of forbidden announcements include: weekly student organization meetings, Comps presentation announcements, recurring departmental seminar announcements (unless it is a “special” one of interest to a wide portion of the student body), and news items and opinion pieces.

Operating Rules of the System

  • All students taking classes at the College shall automatically be put on the list of recipients. However, students shall have the ability to “unsubscribe” from the system at any time. Instructions on how to unsubscribe can be found below.
  • Every Campus Announcement email shall include a link at the bottom of the message detailing how to unsubscribe from the system.
  • The email should be sent out regularly, at intervals determined by Senate. The deadline for submission of material to be included in the email shall likewise be determined by Senate.
  • All material that meets the deadline for submissions must be approved or rejected prior to the email being sent.
  • The designated person is responsible for informing the contact person for each submission as to whether their material has been approved or rejected in as timely a fashion as possible.
  • Groups are encouraged to use the system conservatively, and overuse shall be a basis for rejection of submissions. Academic and administrative departments of the College are encouraged to try to limit their use of the system to approximately one message per term, but they may use it more often if circumstances dictate it to be necessary.

Recommendations for Accessible Email Communications

  • Content Accessibility
    • Text-Based Information: It is highly recommended to include all key information in the body of the email as text, rather than solely in images or PDFs, which ensures accessibility for individuals using e-readers. Additionally, text-based information facilitates easier copying and pasting of links or details.
  • Formatting for Clarity
    • Hyperlink Presentation: Hyperlinks should be the only text that is underlined in emails. This aligns with standard expectations and avoids confusion. For emphasis, consider using bold or italics instead.
    • Color Usage in Hyperlinks: Reserve the use of blue text exclusively for hyperlinks. This maintains consistency and clarity in identifying links.
    • Font Sizes: Limit the use of different font sizes to one or two variations. This ensures readability and maintains a professional and organized appearance.
    • Color Palette: When using colors, avoid overly bright or light shades that may be difficult to read. A simpler color palette enhances readability for all users.

Further Guidelines

  • The first email of every term will be an opportunity for all CSA chartered organizations to advertise their existence. Unlike in regular emails, each group’s entry will be limited to a “one-liner” along with a link to their own mailing list and web page. Normal announcements of events can also be included in this e-mail in the regular fashion outlined above.

Sending an Announcement

With the transition to Google Groups, Campus Announcements now has two ways to submit to the email system.

Submit by Email

The easiest way to submit is to send an email directly to campus_announcements@carleton.edu.

Please note, your entire email message will then be sent to the moderators to review. This includes your email signature. Before sending your email, consider removing all text from the email except that you want posted to Campus Announcements. The subject line of your email will be used as the “one-liner” at the top of the emails.

Your email will then be sent to the moderators for review.

Submit through Google Groups

Another option to submit to the Campus Announcement emails is through the Google Groups website itself. Please just follow the steps below.

  1. Go to groups.carleton.edu
  2. Login with your Carleton credentials
  3. Select “My groups”
  4. Click on “campus_announcements@carleton.edu”
  5. Click on the red button near the top of the page “NEW TOPIC”
  6. Enter subject and body of your message.
  7. When your post is complete, click “POST” and it will be sent to the moderators for review.

Unsubscribing from the Campus Announcement Emails

If you would like to no longer receive these Campus Announcement emails, please follow the steps below. Please note, although you cannot formally unsubscribe, you can change your setting to no longer receive the emails.

  1. Go to groups.carleton.edu
  2. Login with your Carleton credentials
  3. Select “My groups”
  4. Click on “campus_announcements@carleton.edu”
  5. Click on the “My settings” icon in the upper right corner of the page
  6. Click “Membership and email settings”
  7. When the box appears, change your “Email delivery preference” to “Don’t send email updates” from the drop down menu
  8. Click “Save” in the blue box

If you change your mind and want to start receiving messages again, repeat the process and change your delivery option from “No mail” back to “Abridged.”