1. Overview

   Ohio university is dedicated to effective communication with its various audiences, including current and prospective students, parents, and families, as well as alumni and friends through whatever practical means are relevant and available.

   University communications and marketing (UCM), a division of the University, is the central authority for guiding Ohio university’s external communication and marketing efforts with approved exceptions. UCM provides oversight of the development of creative materials, media and marketing communications projects in all forms across the institution.

   UCM relies on the expertise of academic colleges, departments, planning units, and regional campuses to provide insight and expertise regarding unique market dynamics and target audiences. UCM provides the stewardship, tools, procedures, guidelines, and templates to ensure all units are held accountable and responsible for professionally accepted, unified communications for Ohio university.

   This policy intends to ensure that communication and marketing materials disseminated by Ohio university can be easily identified as official or unofficial university websites, publications, or messages.

2. Official University Statements

   As stated in the faculty handbook: "The president will respond for Ohio university on all general university matters and all policy matters unless the president specifically assigns the responsibility to a senior officer. On other matters pertaining to a senior officer's administrative area, that senior officer will respond unless the officer specifically assigns this responsibility to a person in their area. These responses may be prepared by university communications and marketing at the direction of the president or the senior officer who administrative area is involved." 

   In keeping with the university's statement of commitment to free expression, campus freedom of expression policy 01.041, and to protect the robust and unrestrained exchange of ideas within our university community, Ohio university does not issue official university statements on matters of social or political interest that do not have direct impact on university governance or operations. Similarly, the university does not issue statements related to pending local, state, or federal legislation outside of official or oral testimony. 

3. Questions from the News Media

   UCM has oversight of and responsibility for all official university interactions with the news media (whether broadcast, online, or print) including coordination of information relating to general university news or topics requiring an institutional response. 

   Questions from news media that require an institutional response should be forwarded to UCM. In turn, UCM will work with the appropriate university representative to frame a response and determine who would be the most appropriate and effective spokesperson in a manner that avoids disruption of university activities and protects student privacy. When a university faculty or staff member engages with the media in matters related to an individual's area of academic or research expertise, UCM should be made aware of the interview for tracking purposes.

   Additional information about the faculty policy on news releases and press conferences can be found in the Faculty Handbook, Section I.C.

4. News Releases

   All news releases must be coordinated through UCM, with approved exceptions, to assure accurate, consistent and timely delivery of the institution's communication, and to avoid undue competition for media attention.

5. News Conferences

   UCM will take the lead role in arranging news conferences, including making the decision as to whether a news conference is warranted. This will help ensure that news media are contacted and that the time and place of the news conference will encourage the best possible news coverage.

6. Crisis Communications

   At the time of any university emergency, all official statements, announcements, or interviews relating to that emergency should be coordinated through UCM. A person will be designated as the spokesperson for media inquiries. For imminent threats, including situations requiring an emergency notification or a timely warning, the Ohio university police department will activate the appropriate notifications to the campus community. Approval will be obtained, in advance, from the appropriate university officials, for those messages concerning situations on campus that do not require urgent or immediate notification. UCM is responsible for deploying additional notifications to the campus community as rapidly as possible following initial notifications.

7. Social Media

   Social media accounts associated with the university should be registered with UCM to ensure inclusion in the university’s social media directories, to protect the brand, to avoid duplication of efforts and to support university-wide marketing efforts. New social media accounts affiliated with any unit, program, or department of the university must be approved by UCM prior to launch. 

   More comprehensive guidelines are found in UCM’s Social Media Guidelines.

8. Promotion and Protection of the Brand

   All marketing and promotional materials from all divisions, units, and programs affiliated with Ohio university, including web-based communications must adhere to university brand standards, which include instructions and tools for developing websites, printed and other web-based communication and marketing materials.

   If there are questions about whether materials are in compliance with established brand guidelines, UCM should be consulted to review promotional materials, including those intended for advertising purposes.

   UCM will provide counsel by sharing marketing expertise and services to enhance the university's national and international reputation with photo images, market research, planning, guidelines, sponsorship guidance, consultation and collaboration. In situations where UCM does not have the resources or expertise, they will help identify needed resources.

9. Regional Campus Communicators

   Regional campus communications assigned by the vice provost for regional higher education and partnerships, will serve as the initial point of contact for the local news media in the market where their campus is located and will represent that campus to the surrounding community, in consultation with UCM. Regional campus communicators shall be responsible for handling day-to-day public relations matters, including calls from the media as well as unsolicited media inquiries for research experts.  Regional campus communicators should report all media contacts that have potentially negative or adverse implications for the university to their supervisors and UCM.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Vice Presidents
2. Chief Information Officer
3. Deans and Executive Deans
4. Chairs and Directors
5. Faculty Senate
6. Administrative Senate
7. Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the President

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 40.007, "Public Records Requests."
   2. Policy 44.100, "Critical Incidents."
   3. Social Media Guidelines are online at https://www.ohio.edu/ucm/social-media/social-media-guidelines. 
   4. University brand standards are online at https://www.ohio.edu/ucm/ohio-brand.
   5. Faculty Handbook, Section I.C, "Policy on News Releases and Press Conferences."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. February 16, 2024 (ESPC approved for interim use in accordance with policy 01.001) 
   2. May 10, 2022 (Non-substantive update. The Social Media Guidelines link was updated). 
   3. September 17, 2021 (Non-substantive update. Classified Senate removed as Reviewer due to the establishment of the AFSCME 3200 Contract) 
   4. August 12, 2011
   5. March 31, 2003
   6. March 20, 1992
   7. July 1, 1987
   8. July 13, 1970