Rationale behind flyering policy needs explanation

The recently imposed policy on, or shall I say, against flyering has yet to prove its worth.

Perhaps I say this only because, as a publicity chair, my job has been made harder. I do believe, however, that I will suffer less as a result of this policy than many other sectors of the Duke community. After all, I at least know what's going on.

It has become significantly harder to alert first-year students to campus opportunities when notices must be restricted to inconveniently-placed columns and dorm bulletin boards that students often pass without a second glance. All students inevitably wait at the bus stop, especially with the cutbacks in bus service this year, thus making the bus stop the ideal location for a paper storm.

Nonetheless, I think a trial period should be in order, with the stipulation that flyers must be dated and removed by the next, say, Thursday. Incentives, of course, would greatly aid in gaining compliance.

In addition, I might have a greater affinity for this policy if I fully understood it, but it seems that the relevant administrators, as of yet, have failed to provide any discernible rationale regarding the new regulations. Many of my colleagues are equally unsure about how and where events can be publicized.

All members of the Duke community, from janitorial staff to President Nan Keohane to students certainly have various competing demands on their time. However, putting forth a well-explained validation of this policy even via an e-mail sent to the presidents of all registered campus organizations can only prevent confusion and mishaps as the year progresses.