University Clubs Struggle to Maintain Engagement Amid New Email Restrictions

By Caleb Adams

April 25th, 2025

Student organizations at the University of Lynchburg are struggling to engage members after losing the ability to email all undergraduates, raising concerns about the future of student-led activities.

Club leaders report decreased event turnout and difficulty recruiting members, highlighting how administrative policy changes may be unintentionally undermining student engagement.

A survey conducted among student leaders found that 66% reported a negative impact on club attendance due to the inability to send campus-wide emails.

Student survey results show that two-thirds of clubs reported a decline in attendance after the email restriction, with 33.3% experiencing a significant drop.

Alyssa Dawson, treasurer of the GSA, was present when the change was proposed, “There were ten of us and it was divided on this. It was all kinds of student leaders in the Lynchburg community saying this would really hurt attendance and that was brought up. But it was going to cut back on emails. I didn't know what was going to happen for organizations.”

Many student leaders, like Dawson, were left trying to adapt quickly with little guidance or time to prepare alternative outreach strategies.

After the email restriction, 83.4% of student leaders reported increased difficulty recruiting members, up from just 24% prior to the change.

While student leaders expressed concern about the potential impact on engagement, administrators have emphasized the intention behind the change.

“The goal was to really focus outgoing information to students through the Weekly Buzz to keep it more neat and user-friendly,” said Jennifer Reichard, assistant director for student belonging.

Reichard added that the goal was to reduce email overload and help students prioritize important messages, but acknowledged that transitions like this often take time to adjust to.

Over two-thirds of respondents felt the Weekly Buzz was less effective than direct emails, with 56% saying it was “somewhat worse” and 12% saying it was “much worse.”

Despite initial discussions with student leaders, some say communication from administrators has since stalled.

“There’s been no follow-up of listening to people afterwards,” said Alyssa Dawson.

For many student organizations, the loss of direct email access has led to a dramatic shift in event turnout and planning strategies.

Some clubs have turned to social media or campus flyers, but are still struggling to maintain visibility among students.

“We would send out a list of all of our events for the week during our rush weeks. Then the day of, we'd send a reminder out at noon and then we'd have a 15 minute reminder and we would usually garner a pretty decent turnout. Now, the past four events we have had literally nobody show up,” said Jacob Jones, president of Alpha Psi Lambda.

The majority of student leaders (72%) support allowing mass emails with some guidelines, while only 4% believe current restrictions should remain unchanged.

As organizations continue to adjust, survey results indicate that 72% of student leaders believe clubs should regain the ability to send mass emails, with structured guidelines to prevent overuse, as a balanced solution.

If you're a student looking to get involved, check the Weekly Buzz, follow clubs on social media, and stay connected, your participation is what keeps campus life vibrant and alive.