QUESTION: I recently received a Lands’ End catalog, but I had no idea how I got on their mailing list. The article in the recent Illinois State E-lumni News about the Lands’ End Alumni Collection made me wonder if ISU or Alumni Services gave them my information. Was this part of the agreement to have Lands’ End carry items with the ISU logo? Do you sell the alumni mailing list to outside vendors?” — Joel Fritzler, M.S. ’00, Carbondale, Illinois
ANSWER: Thanks for asking this question, Joel. No, we did not give any alumni information to Lands’ End. Your receiving the catalog was a coincidence. While they are now offering our Redbird logo on some very cool merchandise, they aren’t doing any direct marketing to our alumni. (But of course, if you want to check out their goods, see the Merchandise Web page mentioned above!)
Your question allows us the opportunity to clarify mailing list issues. On occasion, when we identify a new service we think may be of interest to many Illinois State alumni (such as group insurance for new grads, travel programs, or recently the student loan consolidation services), we provide limited information to a vendor so that they can offer the service to you on our behalf. These “affinity partner” companies are carefully selected under the auspices of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, which looks out for the best interests of the alumni membership. We look for quality and good customer service, and we encourage your acceptance of these services only when they truly benefit you – keeping in mind that your participation also benefits your Alma Mater.
If you have a question for “Ask Alumni Services” for the future, please e-mail Julie Goodlick in Alumni Services.
