DECEMBER 2008
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s P e C i a l
Pierce video contest gets instant replay Jonathan Jones Co-editor
Pierce College students looking to get more involved in the school’s media now have a chance. Actually, students have had a chance since Aug. 25 to enter their video submissions to Pierce College’s commercial contest. The contest was originally intended to run from Aug. 25 to Oct. 31, but students didn’t post their videos, so the contest has been extended to Jan. 5. “Maybe this contest just isn’t going to go anywhere, but I’m glad we tried,” says Brian Benedetti, director of marketing and communication. So far, the contest has posted six videos on the web page, but those were made by college media workers. “We hope for more future submissions from students… We have had some students start videos but not finish them,” says Benedetti. “I talked to different students who have good ideas and think it would be fun to do but are buried in homework, working while going to school, raising families, etc. People are real busy.” The commercials need to be based on the theme of “Find it
here.” The “it” is ambiguous to allow for creativity. The campaign was launched during the month before and into the week of classes and includes ads on the web, radio, cable television, billboards and busses. “We wanted to come up with a call-to-action campaign—using as few words as possible—that encourages people to come check us out,” says Benedetti. Like any advertisement campaign, the goal is to increase enrollment. “Enrollment is now up by around 12 percent so we’re doing pretty good,” says Benedetti. The commercial contest is actually a side-note to the ad campaign, made to hopefully generate some viral marketing and get students more involved, he added. “Last spring and summer we put together some student focus groups that told us that they want us to break away from traditional marketing messages and do something that is more attention-getting, interactive and fun,” he says. “We’re all ears for more ideas on what that might look like for you.” For those who wish to make
F e a t u r e
she wrote the book on romance see page 4
Students go wild for Northwest Trek outing Jonathan Jones
Ho, ho, ho... Holiday favorites
SERVING THE STUDENTS OF PIERCE COLLEGE PUYALLUP
Students who took part in the Walking on the Wild Side excursion to Northwest T Nov. 11 had the opportunity to see up close some of the region s more exotic resi such as grizzly bears, above, and moose, below right. The trip was arranged by St Jonathan Jones
ISSUE 3
Jonathan Jones
VOLUME 13
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Food prices on campus hard to swallow Andrew Coward Reporter
Students are paying more to eat in the Dining Commons this year. Most people are wondering why. The prices for food and drinks on campus have increased substantially for the first time in four years because of the increase in costs for the company selling the food. One reason that officials at Chartwells, the company that sells the food and drinks in the Dining Commons, has decided to charge more is because the company sup-
plying the college’s food now is requiring Chartwells to pay extra to have the supplies delivered. The cost for supplies to provide the food and drink also has increased. Another reason for the increase in the prices for food on campus is the rise in labor costs. The economy also has had a huge impact on the prices as well. “In 2009, all food costs will go up 8 to 10 percent in the country,” said Barbara Moroco, food service manager of the deli at the Puyallup
Campus. Moroco said that they try to give students quality and healthy food at a reasonable price. They even offer to some students one-dollar food gift cards. “I try to help out the kids a lot,” she says. The prices for most of the products in the cafeteria have increased around 1 to 2 percent from their original prices. One of Moroco’s jobs is to compare and make sure that their prices stay even or below the other prices
and to keep college officials informed about price increases. They cannot increase or change prices without college administrators’ permission. The college and its food provider are in a unique relationship where Chartwells, a company that sells food at many college campuses in the country, sells food on campus instead of the college selling the food. Each year, Chartwells evaluates the prices of local fast-food restaurants to see how their prices compare. Moroco said the food prices at
the college are equal to or lower than the prices at the fast-food restaurants. This year they checked the prices at McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Quiznos and Starbucks. An example that Moroco gave was that when someone buys a footlong sub at Subway for $4.49 that has 20 ounces of meat. The subs at the college deli have 30 ounces of meat or the same price or lower. While the fast-food restaurants charge sales tax, purchases at the college’s deli aren’t taxed.