NEWS

Page 3 Jan. 21-Feb. 3, 2015

websterjournal.com

Websters award-winning advertisement taken down, replaced

By Sam Clancy
Managing Editor

After a lively 13 month

lifespan, the Webster University chess billboard was taken
down in December.
In mid-December, the advertisement on Interstate-70
that said Our Top Recruits are
Chess Players was replaced
with a new advertisement for
Websters online MBA program. The new billboard is a
part of the new program-specific advertising plan.
When the chess billboard
was posted in October 2013
it offended athletes. Despite
athletes calling for the advertisement to be taken down, it
stayed.
As the billboard remained
up, it received media attention
and a national honor. Director of Public Relations Patrick
Giblin said the billboard was
the subject of stories in the
Wall Street Journal, Associ-

CAREERS ARENT
FOUND ON PATHS.
Earn your MBA online.

grad.webster.edu

(Top) The new online MBA billboard now displays on highway I-70, replacing the chess billboard (Right). The above
image was provided by Webster Univerity Public relations. The image on the right was taken from a past Journal story.

ated Press and International

Press Service. After receiving
attention from national and
international publications, the
billboard was named a finalist for Nonprofit PR Awards
by PR News. It was one of six
national finalists in the PR on
a Shoestring Budget category.
The billboard remained up
for 13 months, which Giblin
said was about twice as long

as a normal outdoor advertisement. Although the ad was

well received, it had a long life
because of a transition in advertising strategies.
In November of 2013, the
SGA held an open forum with
Global Communications and
Marketing Office. Director of
Creative Services John Costello showed billboards similar
to the chess billboard, and

said they would be a part of

a series. However, Giblin said
the marketing direction was
changed after the forum.
The change in marketing
caused an extended period of
brainstorming, and Giblin said
they preferred to keep the billboard instead of using a generic university advertisement.
We felt that it was better
to keep it up simply because

it was still getting feedback,

Giblin said.
Tom Lauher, director of
marketing and media placement and planning, said the
new marketing strategy is program specific.
He added that the I-70 billboard, which is one and a half
hours away from Websters
main campus, was an ideal
spot for an online program
advertisement, which is why

an online MBA advertisement

was chosen.
He added that the billboard will be used for program
specific ads in the foreseeable
future.

Adjuncts

remain neutral, as Washington

Universitys
administration
has, so she can reassure adjuncts that department chairs
will not retaliate against them.
I knew 100 percent that

but the way this opinion was

presented to adjuncts brought
the feeling of intimidation.
Granneman said neutrality of the administration at
Washington University was

it, Granneman said.

He said he hopes Webster
will change their negative
campaigning route to a route
of support for the Webster adjuncts.
Until then, Granneman
and other adjuncts at Washington University are currently
filling out a survey listing their
top interests for negotiations
and achievements they would
like to accomplish under the
union. Representatives from
the adjunct faculty will be
picked shortly after the survey
is complete.

FROM PAGE 1

wouldnt you want to be represented? Why wouldnt you

want to sit down and negotiate with someone rather than
them just dictate the terms to
you?
Maret believes the fear
became even more real after
an email was sent to Webster
adjuncts over the summer
by Provost and Senior Vice
President Julian Schuster. The
email said Webster was firmly
opposed to unionization and
felt it had no benefit as the
administration treats adjunct
faculty as valuable members
of (Webster Universitys) academic community.
Sitting Down with Chairs
The first Webster adjunct
to serve on the Faculty Senate,
Terri Reilly, has been communicating with the chairs of each
department since the Provosts
email. She has asked them to

I hope the university realizes that its in

everybodys
best interest that they let the

adjuncts themselves debate and discuss.

Scott Granneman

Webster University adjunct

no department chair would

(fire an adjunct) for being a
part of the union process,
Reilly said. Thats not what
this university is aboutbut
adjuncts are fearful for their
jobs.
She said the letter from
Schuster halted the unionization process because many adjuncts were intimidated by the
response. Reilly said Webster
administration may have just
wanted to voice its opinion
about adjunct unionization

a big component of voting

to form the union and that
Washington University used a
hands-off approach which
encouraged voting. He said
Webster University will find it
more difficult to form a union
because administration is not
on board for allowing at least
a vote.
I hope the university realizes that its in everybodys
best interest that they let the
adjuncts themselves debate
and discuss this and vote on

Contact the writer:

websterjournal@gmail.com

Contact the writer:

websterjournal@gmail.com