One of the more talked about topics among the committees of Trinity Societies over the past weeks has been the cancellation of the annual Freshers Mailout. The packet of flyers full of information on Trinity society life, normally sent to all incoming students, failed to be sent due to several issues, some involving data protection and high cost, among others. As a result, membership of many major societies has significantly decreased when compared to previous years. While the correlation isn’t entirely clear, it is safe to say that because this crucial advertising opportunity has been removed, many societies failed to achieve their goals for Freshers’ Week.
It is difficult to direct blame at any one cause for the cancellation of the mailout – it is more as a result of numerous unfortunate circumstances. However, the damage this event had on Trinity’s societies is very visible, and precautions must be taken against such occurrences in the future. This issue becomes even more important when viewed in the context of cuts to capitated bodies last year, a damaging move on the part of the college that reduced funding to societies by 10 per cent.
It is often very easy to view society involvement as a mere extra-curricular activity. This mistake should not be made – not only is getting involved in societies a great way to get involved in a vital part of the college community, it is also a way to make yourself more employable, by practicing and developing skills such as event organisation and negotiation, among other things. By failing to protect this part of college life, we fail at helping incoming students get the most out of the college experience.
Also in Editorial Today: Emma Watson Has Brought Feminism Back into the Mainstream
Written by the Editorial Board of The University Times
