Office Space: A Resolution for the Digital Revolution
CURRENTS Article This article looks at the effect that email and other forms of electronic communication have had on how people communicate inside and outside the workplace, particularly how they have shifted people's expectations of appropriate response times, following up, and relationship building.

Give Them What They Want
CURRENTS Article The University of Connecticut is devising new communications strategies, including experimenting with email segmentation, to make its philanthropic messaging relevant.

The Best Time to Send Email
Article Emails sent between 6 and 7 a.m. are nearly three times more likely to be opened than emails sent at 4 p.m., according to a communications expert.

Online Giving Grows Steadily for U.S. Nonprofits
Article While one-time gifts continue to be the largest source of revenue for nonprofits, monthly giving via online channels is growing steadily. That’s according to an annual study analyzing online messaging, fundraising, advocacy, social media and mobile metrics for nonprofits.

Optimize Email Correspondences
Article Managers looking for quick ways to improve their own productivity as well as that of their employees should look no further than their inbox.

Managing Communications in the Face of a Crisis
Podcast Hear Deborah L. Grant from Tulane University outline what every communications department should have on hand before a crisis strikes. Also, listen for her advice on how to help prepare administrators for their own roles and responsibilities during as well as after a crisis.

Season's E-Greetings! Great Examples of Year-End Outreach
Jen Doak for the CASE Social Media Blog
Sample Collection This post includes a sampling of video and Flash e-cards and tips for effective year-end communications. It links to a compilation of samples on the College Web Editor blog, where readers shared links to greetings from their institutions in the comments.

K-12 Parents Prefer Email, Website Communication to Social Networks
Article Parents of elementary- and secondary-school-age children prefer to be contacted by schools via email—but they give low priority to social media, according to a new survey.

Study Finds Racial, Generational Differences in Online Cause Engagement
Article African-Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than Caucasians to believe that they can help support a cause or social issue through online social networks. And while younger Americans are also more likely to use social media to support causes, more than 40 percent still get information about causes through family, friends and television.

Mobile E-mail Use Popular Among Young Adults
Article Adults between the ages of 18-24 are 46 percent more likely to access e-mail on mobile devices than mobile users on average, according to a media study by digital marketing company comScore. They're also less likely than in previous years to use web-based e-mail.

Talking Points: Text Vexed
CURRENTS Article In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, campuses are looking for ways to communicate more quickly and effectively during a crisis. Many institutions are exploring Short Message Service, also known as text messaging, a technology that sends short messages to and from cell phones. This article explains what SMS is, why it is useful, how it works, and more.

Mass Produced
CURRENTS Article In the often harried world of institution advancement, e-communications can easily become a victim of project complacency, with e-mail appeals and newsletters turning into just-get-it-out-before-deadline pieces of communications collateral. But with rapidly improving technology and audiences that are increasingly becoming moving targets, it is essential for campus communicators to discover new ways to use e-mail, the Web and dynamic content to appeal to our constituents, and to embrace the notion that integrating technology is an investment, not an expense. Using examples from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, this article addresses ways to ensure e-mail appeals stay fresh and effective and discusses reassessing content and ideas prior to hitting the send button.

AdvanceWork: Spamalot?
CURRENTS Article Communicating with constituents via e-mail has gotten harder now that so many e-mail users have installed spam-filtering programs on their computers. Experts cite several strategies advancement officers can use to strengthen the legitimacy of their electronic messages.

Talking Points: Canning Spam
CURRENTS Article With campuses increasingly relying on e-mail to reach constituents, advancement officers should be familiar with the 2003 CAN-SPAM legislation. This article explains the new U.S. law, including why it was passed and what it seeks to do, as well as specifics about how to comply and penalties for not doing so. Although the legislation doesn't apply specifically to nonprofits, the author recommends that all organizations adhere to well-defined best e-mail practices.

AdvanceWork: A Fun(d) List
CURRENTS Article This AdvanceWork item notes the retirement of Steve Hirby from his seven-year volunteer position of running Fundlist, a listserv focusing on technology and its applications in advancement. Hirby, director of administrative information management for Lawrence University, reflects on the changes in the listserv and the concerns of development professionals during his seven-year tenure as list owner.

Tech Support: Protect Your Computer from Viruses
CURRENTS Article Computer viruses can destroy software and stored data. The first line of defense is to make regular backups of vital data and to invest in an antivirus program. Goldsborough, a technology columnist and author, summarizes the potential risk of common computer uses and tells how to distinguish between a legitimate virus warning and a hoax.

In Advance: Spam-Proofing Electronic Lists
CURRENTS Article A server manager's suggestions to prevent e-mail abuse by outsiders