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Vol. 5, No. 3
July 2004
(Please note: articles below link to PDF files.
In order to view, you must have Adobe Acrobat which
is available for free from the Adobe
Web site.)
Welcome to another issue of Communications Resources. This is CIC’s
periodic kit of tools and ideas to help you tell your institution’s
story.
PRESIDENTS SPEAK OUT
An important part of every president’s job is making the case for
his or her college through op-ed pieces, articles, speeches, media interviews,
and any other available outlet. Finding the time to do so and crafting
the right message can be challenging. Perhaps some of these presidential
perspectives will provide new insights or arguments that could help you
pen your next masterpiece. Read and enjoy.
- Newberry College (SC) President Mitchell Zais implores
Congress to change its intentions regarding revisions to Higher Education
Authorization (HEA). While the HEA is unlikely to be acted upon this
year, it will be a key issue in the next Congress. Zais’ Newberry
Observer article states that “Congress is shifting focus
of the HEA from funding student aid programs to ‘reforming’
our institutions” and explains why he believes this is so.
Congress Set to Intrude into South
Carolina's Colleges and Universities
- An editorial in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune decries
“the gentrification of the best American schools (that) break
faith with generations who have been told that higher education is available
to anyone who possesses the ability and will to succeed....” The
editorial commends the state’s private colleges.
Gentrification/Too much
on U.S. Campuses
- A March 21 clipping from Milwaukee’s Journal Sentinel
praises Alverno College’s (WI) efforts on behalf
of African-Americans in an article entitled, “Alverno Dwarfs UW
in Percentage of Blacks and Graduation Rate.”
Private Colleges
Serving Students of Color
- In three separate pieces about college accessibility and affordability,
Juniata College (PA) President Thomas Kepple clarifies
essentials of the Independent 529 consortium that he helped to establish;
Wesley College (DE) President Scott D. Miller argues
for increased need-based aid; and College Misericordia
(PA) President Michael A. MacDowell describes ways to reduce costs and
tuition.
Perhaps a Better Pre-Paid
Tuition Plan (Kepple)
Keeping College Accessible, Affordable
(Miller)
Public Schooled
on High Tuition Costs (MacDowell)
- Gwynedd-Mercy College (PA) President Kathleen Owens
explains for readers of the Lansdale, PA Reporter a college’s
role in community service.
Colleges are Vital to Our
Communities
- In addition, we include the inaugural address of University
of Puget Sound (WA) President Ronald R. Thomas. He provides
a new perspective as he begins his responsibilities there, and gives
a distinctive twist to the Trojan Horse story.
To Shine in Use: The Trojan
Horse and the Sphere of Common Duties
RESOURCES FOR INCREASING YOUR CAMPUS’ VISIBILITY
Every CIC campus needs the right tools to get its messages out. Below
are examples of three potentially valuable tools.
- Dick Jones Communications’ four-page list of higher education
periodicals. The document provides useful information and general comments
about pitching stories to the various publications. We would add CIC’s
Independent
to that list, and encourage your PR director to send news items and
action photos for consideration in the “Campus Update” section.
Dick Jones Communications' Higher
Education Periodical List
- CIC Senior Advisor Keith Moore’s recently updated 2004 Higher
Education Media Contacts List. The list provides names and contact information
for key reporters, editors, producers, and bookers who cover colleges
and universities across the country. PR directors should use this to
update their media databases.
2004 Higher Education Media
Contacts List
- NAICU Vice President Roland King’s compilation of “More
Than You Want or Need to Know About Electronic and On-line Media Relations
Resources and Services.” It is perhaps the most comprehensive
itemization of web products and services for PR professionals around
today. It can be found at http://www.naicu.edu/On-linePRServices.doc.
GOOD ADVICE FOR THE PRESIDENT AND PR PRO
Finally, here are two necessary sets of tips for presidents and PR professionals:
- John Finn, director of public information at The College
of Wooster (OH), provides guidelines titled “Crisis Communication.”
It’s an overview of issues and strategies for managing information
during a crisis.
Crisis Communication
- Earle Rommel, director of public relations at Rider University
(NJ), weighs in on what you need to do–and know–when you
are looking to hire an outside public relations consulting firm. His
tips delineate responsibilities of all parties and articulate nuances
of the hiring ground rules.
Hiring a PR Firm
WANT TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR WRITING?
If you have a short speech, op-ed, report, or other article that you
think would be of interest to your colleague presidents in CIC, send them
to us for inclusion in the next issue. For more information or to talk
about your materials, contact CIC Vice President for Communications Laura
Wilcox at (202) 466-7230; e-mail: lwilcox@cic.nche.edu.
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