Alfred State College Memories - FAQs
I received an email/postcard/phone call from a company asking for my personal information and a story about my time at Alfred State College. Is this a legitimate project, or is it a scam?
We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce an Oral History Publication for Alfred State College. PCI is a company located in Dallas, TX that publishes directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities and military organizations across the nation. This project allows Alfred State to hear about your personal experiences and explain how it has helped shape your lives.
Does the Alfred State College benefit from this at all?
Yes, in a few different ways:
- Legacy - Preserves the oral history of our school.
- Updated Information - Allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni.
- Revenue from any book purchases.
- Pride - Wearing apparel shows support and love for our school.
How do I know my information will only be used for this specific purpose?
Alfred State College has a contractual agreement with PCI that states:
- The names, addresses and information provided to PCI by the Alfred State for the publication of the Oral History Publication will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Publication and except as required by court order of law.
- The Oral History Publication will be made available only to alumni of Alfred State College. Upon completion of the project, PCI will return to Alfred State any and all electronic files that have been supplied or produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Oral History Publication.
I would like to update my information and share a story. How may I do this?
If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Publication. The representative will verify some of the data information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, then ask you to share your story about your time at Alfred State. Your story will be recorded, the sound clip both provided to Alfred State College at the conclusion of the project, and utilized in the creation of your story for either the printed or digital editions of the publication.
If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story. If you have questions, you may call PCI's customer service desk at 1-866-647-3130.
I updated my information but need some more time to think about what story to tell.
You can call back at any time to share your story or schedule a call back with an agent.
I shared a story and the representative said I could send some photos. How do I do this?
You will receive an email with a link to upload up a photograph with a caption.
If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send physical photos in to be printed (note: photos will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).
I'd like to add/remove info from my story.
You will receive an email prior to publication with a link to review your transcribed story and make any edits.
If I share a story, do I have to provide a photo? If I want a photo included, do I have to share a story?
You may share as little or as much as you'd like. Some people only want to share a story, others only want to share a photo and caption.
Can anyone purchase a book?
Alfred State Memories: An Alfred State College Oral History Project book is available for sale only to Alfred State College alumni.
Can I choose some or all of my information not to be printed in the book?
When you call to update your information and share your story, you will be asked for consent to both share your story with Alfred State and to include your story in the different variants of the publication. When updating your data, you may tell the representative what data information you prefer to share back to Alfred State. You may also communicate this information to the Alfred State Alumni Office at alumni@alfredstate.edu.
I ordered a book/package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?
Call the PCI customer service help desk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.