Dear Vanderbilt Community,

As members of Vanderbilt Student Media, we are always open to change and innovation. This year, InsideVandy is expanding its realm to include a series of blogs that can be easily accessed on the InsideVandy website. The purpose of these blogs is to expand the type of content available on the website, and starting right now, we are calling for all students and faculty to submit either a pre-established blog that they want published online or any blueprints for a blog they wish to develop.

A blog that is tied into the InsideVandy website will come with many benefits. For starters, it will undoubtedly bring your blog much exposure since visitors can easily click on it and be redirected to your blog. Secondly, by becoming an official InsideVandy blog, you will gain access to use of Studio C recording studio, use of the Hustler Photography staff, and partnerships with the InsideVandy video team. With these assets, we believe that your blog will have the tools necessary to expand its direction and content.

InsideVandy’s goal with the development and publication of these blogs is to provide access to relevant and up-to-date information regarding the Vanderbilt community, music, art, fashion, politics, humor or whatever subject you wish to write about. We will expect that these blogs be somewhat relevant to the Vanderbilt community. We are not asking for every blog post to discuss a Vanderbilt issue; it does not have to even mention Vanderbilt in the post. However, it would be beneficial to all if these blogs served the general interest of Vanderbilt students when there is an opportunity to do accordingly.

As far as censoring, we hope to never have to censor any material that may be posted on the blog. However, there are some content that cannot be published through the InsideVandy website, and it will be quite apparent when the issue arises if a specific content should be censored. Aside from this, as the author of your own blog, you will be free to publish content that you wish to share with the world.

If you are interested in submitting ideas for blogs, please visit insidevandy.com/blogs. If you have any further questions feel free to email blogs@insidevandy.com or attend out interest meeting on January 14th in the Sarratt Newsroom behind Last Drop Café.

Sincerely,

The InsideVandy team

What you need to know

Construction

The blogs will exist separate from the InsideVandy site structure. This will allow the blogs to create their own distinctive identity from the site while benefiting from association with InsideVandy. Due to the simplicity and ease of use, we would recommend using the popular blog websites of Tumblr and Wordpress as the basis for the blog construction. If the blog creator can exhibit the skills needed to build the blog from alternative methods, an exception to this guideline may be allowed. Blogs that already exist are still legible to be part of the new community. Alterations may be made in incorporate it into the larger blog community.

Following the announcement of the selected blogs there will be a 7-day development period for the site to reach their final form. Major site development ends on February 3rd.

Bidding Process

All individual interested in creating a blog must fill out the application on InsideVandy before the deadline date of January 21st at midnight. The submitted proposals should be as comprehensive and cohesive as possible. After all submissions have been received, the committee will review the entries and select the five best proposals. Judgment of blogs will encompass but be not limited to the creativity of concept, the appeal to Vanderbilt community, and the quality of original content. The selected proposals will be announced on January 25th. Applicants for the blogs will be open to any member, members, and organizations of the Vanderbilt community.

Partnerships

As mentioned prior, selected blogs become apart of the larger Vanderbilt Student Communications community and will gain access to Studio C recording studio, use of the Hustler Photography staff, and partnerships with the InsideVandy video team. With these assets, we believe that your blog will have the tools necessary to expand its direction and content.

Sample Sites

The blogs hosted within InsideVandy will join a growing list of nationally recognized blogs from peer instructions. We do like to express that bids shouldn’t be limited by what appears on the list of blogs. The list is intended to start a conversation on what is possible for proposed blogs.

Important Dates*

January  1st  -­  Start  of  submission  

January  14th  at  6  p.m.  -­‐  Interest  meeting  in  Sarratt  Newsroom  (behind  Last  Drop  

Café)  

January 21st at midnight - Close of submissions

January 25th - Announcement of selected blogs

January 25th to February 3rd - Construction period

February 4th – Blogs Go Live *Dates are subject to change. Prior notice will be given. To learn more about the blogs and what it takes to be a part of this new community, visit insidevandy.com/blogs . If you have any additional questions feel free to contact blogs@inisdevandy.com or director@insidevandy.com