Student directories show inaccuracies

Brigitte Rolfe

When the Utah State University Student Directory was released Monday, phone calls flooded Associated Students of Utah State University President Steve Palmer’s office.

Information in the directory was inaccurate even though students were reminded at the beginning of the semester to update their information on the QUAD, he said.

Palmer said the phone numbers printed were students’ home numbers, instead of campus numbers.

“I was very disappointed by the way [the student directory] turned out,” Palmer said.

After all the comments and concerns ASUSU council received last year from students about the directory, ASUSU wanted to make sure the information was more accurate and well-publicized. Palmer said somehow the wrong information was taken from the QUAD for the directory and was overlooked in the development process.

The misprinted directories are still being distributed around campus. The school has a contract with University Publishing to have the directories in distribution by the last week of October. This contract gives ASUSU $10,000 to print the directories, so money is actually being made instead of spent, Palmer said. He said it was not the publisher’s mistake. They just print what is given to them. The mistake was made in development, when unclear instructions were put in the computer, he said.

“The directory is great if you’re looking for someone 10 years down the road,” Palmer said.

Palmer said they are looking into alternative ways to get the information out. The information is available online at www.usu.edu, but ASUSU will not be publishing a new directory because it would cost $1,300 to $1,400. ASUSU may find a way to print an insert at minimal cost and use some of the money ASUSU receives to publish the directory. Palmer said he does not want the directory to cost the students money. If students would incur a cost, ASUSU would not republish the directory, he said.

“To reprint [the directory] would not be worth it to the students,” Palmer said.

Palmer said he would be glad to talk to anyone who has any questions and concerns and can be reached at 797-1723 or by e-mail at palmer@cc.usu.edu.