Northern Vermont University – Lyndon,
We are five weeks into the new school year and many things have changed on the NVU-Lyndon campus. Classrooms are capped at low capacities, many student services such as the library or Academic Support have limited hours or have moved to a more virtual space, and the normally smiling NVU-Lyndon community’s faces are covered in cloths.
The Critic, however, is still functioning as it has in the past few years. While it was our mission to turn back to print sometime this year, disinfecting the campus and efforts to minimize contact have prompted us to stay strictly online for the time being. I am thankful that our club members over the past few years worked so hard to build our robust online outreach as we heavily rely on it this year.
Another change The Critic has seen was the move of our meeting location. Last year, WWLR 91.5 The Impulse was gracious enough to share their lounge space with us. While we are extremely grateful, with COVID-19 policies, that space is too small for our needs this year. The Critic instead meets in the Rita Bole Community Room every Friday at 4:00 PM. A Zoom link is also available for club members who may be attending school remotely or do not feel comfortable gathering in-person.
Our meetings have increased to be every week due to the increase in stories on campus. Between SGA elections, COVID-19 policies, and the ever-changing culture of our campus, we find it important to discuss article ideas more frequently this semester.
We are also hoping to increase our social media presence outside of sharing articles by posting more pictures and videos. This effort is in hopes to bring some normalcy to our social media feeds and keep our remote community connected.
We only have one vacancy remaining on the Executive Board for the 2020-2021 school year; anyone interested in running for the Secretary position is encouraged to attend The Critic meetings and announce so.
Additionally, we have amended our constitution to fit the University’s brand and our current mission. The roles of our Executive Board members and Advisor were added to and a defining line was drawn between Contributors and Staff club member positions. Previously, Staff members were voted on by the Executive Board. Our amendments have changed this policy so that Staff members are required to attend two meetings and publish two articles per semester at a minimum. Furthermore, Contributors who have attended at least two club meetings during the semester will be granted voting rights. These changes have been approved by all current The Critic club members and currently await a vote from the Student Government Association.
I speak proudly for all of those associated with The Critic when I say we are excited to continue to serve the greater NVU-Lyndon community this year. Whether you are a student, faculty or staff member, friend, alum, or family member, we pledge to keep you connected through the challenges this pandemic presents.
Stay safe and healthy, readers! I wish you all the best!
Sincerely,
Alexandra Huff
2020-2021 Editor-in-Chief