Check your email. Nomination Ballots for this year's Penn State Board of Trustees Alumni Elections should be dropping tomorrow.

[PSUFTG]

My nomination ballet was in my junk mail - FYI.

That is actually, unfortunately, very common. Turnout for Penn State Board elections is horrendously low - around 3% of eligible voters. There is a long list of reasons for that, but one of them is definitely the inability for the Penn State Board office to get ballots into mailboxes. As I understand it, there are some technical issues which get involved (which I am not an expert on), but whomever the contractor is who Penn State hired to do that job - the sending out of ballots - has, apparently, been unable to solve the problem for 10 years now.
That is disconcerting. Solely from anecdotal evidence and social media accounts, I would expect that at least 1/2 of all ballots do not end up in regular mailboxes - they either are not delivered or end up in SPAM folders and the like.

It is important for those Penn State Alums who want to vote to be aware of this, and to check their SPAM and all other folders in addition to their normal email accounts.

 

[Midnighter]

That is actually, unfortunately, very common. Turnout for Penn State Board elections is horrendously low - around 3% of eligible voters. There is a long list of reasons for that, but one of them is definitely the inability for the Penn State Board office to get ballots into mailboxes. As I understand it, there are some technical issues which get involved (which I am not an expert on), but whomever the contractor is who Penn State hired to do that job - the sending out of ballots - has, apparently, been unable to solve the problem for 10 years now.
That is disconcerting. Solely from anecdotal evidence and social media accounts, I would expect that at least 1/2 of all ballots do not end up in regular mailboxes - they either are not delivered or end up in SPAM folders and the like.

It is important for those Penn State Alums who want to vote to be aware of this, and to check their SPAM and all other folders in addition to their normal email accounts.

Their emails seem to land in the right folder when they want money….

 

[PSUFTG]

Their emails seem to land in the right folder when they want money….

Isn't that the truth. And very disconcerting indeed. In addition to being re-routed to SPAM, the number of ballots that simply never show up anywhere - something that should happen automatically for anyone who voted in past elections - is a real concern as well. I cannot think of any reason, given that the recipients are using the same e-mail from year-to-year, that these ballots don't show up. I personally know numerous Penn State Alumni who have to go through the "onboarding" process over and over again each year - and I am not working with a large number of cohorts in that sample. The obvious result of that is most of those people are never going to know they "didn't get it", and the election will just pass them by - and even those who are aware of the election may, largely, stop going through that process every year.
Maybe an expert in email technology would have some insight - but if your name and e-mail is "on the list", and none of that changes from year to year, why would the ballots not show up? And this happens, again - based on anecdotal evidence, social media boards, and the like - a lot.

 

[JohnJumba]

Isn't that the truth. And very disconcerting indeed. In addition to being re-routed to SPAM, the number of ballots that simply never show up anywhere - something that should happen automatically for anyone who voted in past elections - is a real concern as well. I cannot think of any reason, given that the recipients are using the same e-mail from year-to-year, that these ballots don't show up. I personally know numerous Penn State Alumni who have to go through the "onboarding" process over and over again each year - and I am not working with a large number of cohorts in that sample. The obvious result of that is most of those people are never going to know they "didn't get it", and the election will just pass them by - and even those who are aware of the election may, largely, stop going through that process every year.
Maybe an expert in email technology would have some insight - but if your name and e-mail is "on the list", and none of that changes from year to year, why would the ballots not show up? And this happens, again - based on anecdotal evidence, social media boards, and the like - a lot.

Voted in the past, nothing so far.

 

[TiogaLion]

Here's one for Barry.

 

[ValleyForgeLion]

How long should I be waiting for the nominating ballot emails to show up in our inboxes? Not even in SPAM. And we've nominated every year. This is a clown show.

In my humble opinion, Barry J Fenchak '84 Eng and Maribeth R Schmidt '88 Journalism deserve a place on the ballot. They've done the work for years and I'd like to see them challenge the incumbents on some issues. Very tired of Barb and Ted just popping their heads up every three years to wave some pom-poms.

 

[PSUFTG]

How long should I be waiting for the nominating ballot emails to show up in our inboxes? Not even in SPAM. And we've nominated every year. This is a clown show.

In my humble opinion, Barry J Fenchak '84 Eng and Maribeth R Schmidt '88 Journalism deserve a place on the ballot. They've done the work for years and I'd like to see them challenge the incumbents on some issues. Very tired of Barb and Ted just popping their heads up every three years to wave some pom-poms.

If you haven't gotten a ballot yet (either in your email or SPAM folders), I would recommend going here: 2022 Alumni Trustee Nomination Ballot Request (office.com)
and requesting one.

The number of people not getting ballots seems to have exploded drastically. Something - either intentional or accidental - has gone very wrong.
Speaking for myself, and others, after making the request at the website I linked in, I did get my ballot. But most people are not going to bother.

 

[ValleyForgeLion]

The number of people not getting ballots seems to have exploded drastically. Something - either intentional or accidental - has gone very wrong.
Speaking for myself, and others, after making the request at the website I linked in, I did get my ballot. But most people are not going to bother.

Thanks, you're right, they just popped up in the SPAM folders.

 

[Pride]

How long should I be waiting for the nominating ballot emails to show up in our inboxes? Not even in SPAM. And we've nominated every year. This is a clown show.

In my humble opinion, Barry J Fenchak '84 Eng and Maribeth R Schmidt '88 Journalism deserve a place on the ballot. They've done the work for years and I'd like to see them challenge the incumbents on some issues. Very tired of Barb and Ted just popping their heads up every three years to wave some pom-poms.

Just nominated Fenchak and Schmidt

 

[Midnighter]

Just nominated Fenchak and Schmidt

Same.

 

[PSUFTG]

"It is time to get your nomination ballot submitted.

Fill out your nomination for:
Barry J Fenchak, Class of 1984

If you haven't seen your ballot in your e-mail, please also check your SPAM folders.
The ballot should have been sent from: [email protected].

If you voted in past elections, your ballot should be there by now.
If your ballot has not arrived in any of your mail folders, please contact the Board of Trustees Office at this link and request that one be sent to you (many Alumni are finding that their ballots have not arrived):
2022 Alumni Trustee Nomination Ballot Request (office.com)

You should also use that link to request a ballot if you have not voted in past elections.

I appreciate your support. "

 

[pioneerlion83]

I wrote myself in. My platform includes:

* Bring back Gentle Thursday, but celebrate it every Thursday!

You got my wife's vote!!! She told me "vote for him!!!"
She's a big fan of Gentle Thursday, and is still sad it went away.

 

[barry j fenchak]

I say this every year but I cannot believe Barry can’t get on the ballot. Only takes 250 signatures. I know he rubs a lot of people the wrong way but he might be what the BOT needs. Or is everyone okay with where we are?

No, everyone is NOT ok with where we are. However, we are very OK with where Barry is, which is off the ballot. Perfect place for him!

 

[Tom McAndrew]

An article that identifies the 3 individuals running under the Penn State Forward banner.

Penn State Forward campaign supports 3 candidates for Alumni Board of Trustees election

Students and alumni launched the new “Penn State Forward'' campaign this week to support three “young, forward-thinking candidates” running for the 2022 Penn State Alumni Board of Trustees election, according

www.collegian.psu.edu

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Also, it appears that former trustee, Laurie A. Stannell, is running to return as an alumni-elected trustee to the PSU BOT.

 

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

Just a reminder. "The deadline to submit your election ballot is 9:00 a.m. (Eastern), on Thursday, May 5, 2022. The names of the winning candidates will be announced at the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, May 6, 2022."

 

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

bump