Electronic Distribution of the Vision under Consideration

Unnamed numbers of newspapers are giving up the age old process of putting their news on newsprint and are turning to online publishing.   Many organizations have put their newsletter on a website instead of spending money on print, paper, and mailing.   The AAUW Vision is on the verge of going the same direction. 

A major item on our yearly budget is the $1300 for printing and mailing the newsletter.   This cost is reduced to virtually nothing if we send out the Vision electronically.  The drawbacks are, of course, that some members do not have computer access and that the organization loses a strong public relations tool.  Whether the newsletter would appear on our website or whether it would be sent to members through email is yet to be decided.  In fact, whether we go to electronic distribution at all remains to be voted upon by the Board of Directors.  We would still mail a copy to those members without a computer.

One suggestion has been to charge members $10 (to defray the cost of printing and mailing for the year) if they want hard copy delivery in lieu of a computer generated Vision.    That idea also remains open to a Board vote.   As Treasurer Helen Frantz says, “Since we only get $20 per member to use for our general expenses,  the newsletter is quite a big chunk.” 

Vision Editor Angie Ulrey adds, “I have personally cherished my own printed copy of the Vision which sits on my coffee table for perusal several times throughout the month.  However, once I must pay for my copies, I realize that printing my own copy from the computer is cheaper than paying for it to be done”. 

To assist the board in their decision about the future of our newsletter, please email your preferences/situation to Angie Ulrey.  Which statement represents your response to whether the Vision can be distributed to you electronically?

I am totally behind receiving the Vision electronically.

I don’t like it, but I can tolerate receiving the Vision electronically.

I prefer to pay $10 to receive my copy by mail.