ENMU students without yearbooks for 3 years
By: Ryan Jackson
Issue date: 2/10/09 Section: News
Eastern New Mexico University's yearbook, The Silverpack, is having troubles.
The editions from three years ago to last year have yet to come out. To make up for it, last year's edition was supposed to combine all of the missing years' editions, however, the combination publication is behind schedule as well. The yearbook was not finished when then-editor John Vestal graduated and moved to Albuquerque.
Vestal had claimed that the book was 90 percent complete when he left, and that he would continue to work on the book through remote access to the Silverpack's computer, but due to a computer error he was unable to continue work on it.
Don Elder, Interim Chair of the Communicative Arts and Sciences Department, says he'll take full responsibility for the debacle. "… I should have checked up," he said.
The debacle has placed the future of The Silverpack in uncertain waters, as it took nearly a year for anyone to notice that the yearbook was missing and bring a complaint to the school, Elder said. This has galvanized some who believe that the yearbook is antiquated and either needs to be done away with completely or moved to an electronic format, he said.
Elder said he feels the school still needs a yearbook. "We're celebrating our 75th anniversary … and to lose that in the year when were celebrating what's made Eastern what it is, I would think that would be a great loss."
Elder's appointment as chair ends this year, and he does not expect to return. He does feel confident that he has established a system, through the formation of the Student Media Board, which will afford more oversight and prevent more problems like this.
Elder said he would like to stress that the problems are not the fault of the many students who have worked hard for the yearbook over the years.
"I'll take total responsibility … I've been the chair of the department, I should have exercised better institutional control. I just assumed that the people who had become the editors of the Silverpack were taking care of business."
A new editor, who was not involved with the problems of past years, is now working on the current edition of the Silverpack.
The editions from three years ago to last year have yet to come out. To make up for it, last year's edition was supposed to combine all of the missing years' editions, however, the combination publication is behind schedule as well. The yearbook was not finished when then-editor John Vestal graduated and moved to Albuquerque.
Vestal had claimed that the book was 90 percent complete when he left, and that he would continue to work on the book through remote access to the Silverpack's computer, but due to a computer error he was unable to continue work on it.
Don Elder, Interim Chair of the Communicative Arts and Sciences Department, says he'll take full responsibility for the debacle. "… I should have checked up," he said.
The debacle has placed the future of The Silverpack in uncertain waters, as it took nearly a year for anyone to notice that the yearbook was missing and bring a complaint to the school, Elder said. This has galvanized some who believe that the yearbook is antiquated and either needs to be done away with completely or moved to an electronic format, he said.
Elder said he feels the school still needs a yearbook. "We're celebrating our 75th anniversary … and to lose that in the year when were celebrating what's made Eastern what it is, I would think that would be a great loss."
Elder's appointment as chair ends this year, and he does not expect to return. He does feel confident that he has established a system, through the formation of the Student Media Board, which will afford more oversight and prevent more problems like this.
Elder said he would like to stress that the problems are not the fault of the many students who have worked hard for the yearbook over the years.
"I'll take total responsibility … I've been the chair of the department, I should have exercised better institutional control. I just assumed that the people who had become the editors of the Silverpack were taking care of business."
A new editor, who was not involved with the problems of past years, is now working on the current edition of the Silverpack.