By: Nicholas Blaszczak, Student Journalist
Photo Courtesy: Sterling Pingree
BANGOR – Posted on the bathroom stalls at Husson University is the phrase “the more you go, the more you know.” To many, the idea of conceptualizing a bathroom publication may seem odd. For the Toilet Times, marketing a frequent location has skyrocketed the sheet of paper from an interesting read in ‘the john’ to the centralized hub of campus events.
Established roughly six years ago by the student activities department, the Toilet Times originated as a method of advertising what’s new around Husson in a few bathroom stalls on campus. Early editions of the paper contained a black and white calendar of events with a few clipart images to engage readers. Today, the Toilet Times still seeks to inform students of campus events but it has received a major facelift and audience outreach. Coordinator of Student Activities, Sterling Pingree had a vision for the publication to become a routine part of a student’s day and oversaw the changes needed to do so. In order for the Toilet Times to gain more attention and popularity, Pingree knew he would have to cut back on bulletin displays.
“The bulletin boards have become more cluttered because of the proliferation of more clubs on campus. So I knew we had to eventually get away from putting up a lot of posters,” said Pingree.
Utilizing the bathroom to expand and consolidate the advertising of events has paid dividends for the publication. Increased readership and a rise in attendance at student activities were two of the primary driving forces that led to the growth of the Toilet Times. Seeing the publication prosper, Pingree looked to flush out any concerns over distribution coverage.
The initial publications circulated bathrooms in Peabody Hall and portions of the Commons. Now, the Toilet Times has expanded to reach a wider audience with sheets in the residence halls, Beardsley Meeting House, and even suites of the Darling Learning Center. Pingree attributes the success of the Toilet Times to the absence of a major competitive threat.
“There is no centralized calendar. I wish there was a giant calendar in the middle of the Campus Center, but alas. So this is really the monolithic publication on campus for news,” said Pingree.
One of the key reasons the Toilet Times continues to thrive is due to the paper’s ability to evolve. If consolidation and widespread distribution laid the foundation for the Toilet Times, an overhaul in the format and the addition of color serve as layers of support. To create a more personalized and entertaining piece, Pingree made three notable changes to the Toilet Times: first, a 30-mile zone section borders the right side of sheet; the 30-mile zone highlights an upcoming event off-campus to provide students with another form of entertainment; second, the spotlight – a feature in the lower left-hand corner; the spotlight shines on a particular future event (ranging from imminent performers, to school trips, even ticket sales); finally, a note from the Coordinator serves as the publication’s footer. The note from the coordinator is the paper’s hallmark, the area where Pingree weaves in bits of humor recounting the events to entice students to attend. The three elements combined with the calendar outlook makes for a more complete publication.
Color and pictures on each day of the calendar outlook have brought the Toilet Times to a level not even Pingree never saw coming.
“Students would send me pictures of black and white toilet times in stalls. All this can mean is that people have grabbed the color copy for themselves and replaced it with a black and white copy,” said Pingree who applauds people for keeping a sheet found in the bathroom but still have the courtesy to replace it.
The anecdote from Sterling showcases the profound impact the Toilet Times has had on the student body. Readers will go to great lengths to become informed about campus events. The same theory applies to commuting students, who make use of the publication to organize their calendars accordingly. Senior Sam Gilbert says the Toilet Times has aided him in balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities.
“For someone who lives off campus, it’s not as easy to know what’s going on around campus. In a way, the Toilet Times helps me structure my priorities,” said Gilbert.
In an effort to continually make students aware of campus events, Pingree knew another entity at Husson would create big draws in attendance. To fill the void of an otherwise unused area, Pingree launched the You & SA Today. The new publication is a slip of paper inserted into the napkin holders at the Dickerman Dining Center. Created during the middle of the Spring 2015 semester, the You & SA Today replicated the original design of its parent entity. The first You & SA Today sheets contained a calendar outlook with minimal pictures. As time progressed, the publication featured special editions. For a period of time, the You & SA Today would spotlight a single event in color. The contrasting editions forced Pingree to reevaluate the effectiveness of the publication which is currently why the You & SA Today is undergoing maintenance. Instead of continuing to uphold the marquee value of its predecessor, the new entity is taking a different route. Pingree decided that moving forward, it’s in the best interest of the You & SA Today to get rid of the calendar format.
“[I]’ve decided to do away with the mini calendar format and just go to color pictures highlighting the biggest upcoming events. I think this will have a bigger impact and be more visible as a compliment to the Toilet Times larger scale calendar format,” said Pingree.
With less space to work with than a Toilet Times piece, the thought process behind changing the dynamic of the You & SA Today makes sense. In the meantime, while the You & SA Today revamps its image, the Toilet Times is fulfilling the role of double duty.
In the February 2016 edition of the Toilet Times there are a landmark two pieces of paper. One sheet contains the usual information while the other is an exclusive. Labeled breaking news, the second sheet highlights student activities main event. Last year, Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson visited the Gracie Theatre for a night of laughs. This year, as reported by the Toilet Times, country star Canaan Smith will be performing at Husson on April 7th at 8:00 p.m. Students interested in the event can visit the Gracie Theatre box office or gracietheatre.com for more details. Tickets are ten dollars and go on sale Tuesday February 23 at 10:00 a.m.
Over the course of its six year history, the Toilet Times has transformed from a novel idea to an effective means of communication. With multiple locations, more content, and a man with a vision at the helm – the publication has generated quite the following. A fanbase so passionate that individuals will possess the bathroom ‘post-it notes’ and still have the decency to replace ‘their’ copy with another. It’s evident that the phrase “the more you go, the more you know” couldn’t hold truer today.
What does Pingree have to say about the success of the Toilet Times?
“Not bad for a sheet of paper in the john.”
