Public relations functions to protect and enhance the reputation of the institution with the campus community and off-campus constituents. This includes anticipating issues and managing communication during crises, providing strategic communications counsel and tactical execution, engaging in community relations and media relations, and participating in the planning and execution of special university projects and events.

 

Issues Management and Crisis Communication

UM&PR proactively identifies emerging issues and is responsible for official institutional communication on and off campus related to issues and crises. This includes the use of the automated UNI Alert System to distribute emergency messages. For more information about UNI Alert, visit http://weblogs.uni.edu/alert/.

 

Strategic Communications Counsel & Tactical Execution

UM&PR provides thoughtful communications planning and execution for messages that call for an institutional response. UM&PR also provides tactical communications channels for day-to-day messages.

 

Mass e-mail

UNI's policy is to limit mass e-mail to the entire university community to those messages approved by UM&PR.

 

E-newsletters

Several e-newsletters are made available to the campus community to communicate important messages in a consistent manner, while avoiding mass e-mail campaigns.

MyUNIverse News-MyUNIverse News is the official source of university announcements to students. Mass e-mail to students will be incorporated into MyUNIverse News. MyUNIverse News is e-mailed to students on Monday mornings during the regular academic year. Deadline for submissions is noon on Friday. The submission page is located at http://www.uni.edu/unionline/.

 

UNI Online-UNI Online is the official source of university announcements to faculty and staff. Mass e-mail to faculty and staff will be incorporated into UNI Online. UNI Online is e-mailed to faculty and staff on Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the regular academic year. Deadline for submissions is noon on Monday and Wednesday. The submission page is located at http://www.uni.edu/unionline/.

 

MyUNI Weekend-MyUNI Weekend is a tool to help encourage students to participate in weekend campus and local activities. MyUNI Weekend is e-mailed to students on Thursday mornings. The focus is educational, entertainment and athletic events that take place from Thursday evening through Sunday evening. Deadline for submission is noon on Wednesday. The submission page is located at http://www.uni.edu/unionline/.

 

Panther Parent-The Panther Parent e-newsletter is intended for parents and guardians of current students. The e-newsletter is distributed several times throughout the semester and provides university events, deadlines and tips from the UNI Parents Association. Please submit information for the Panther Parent e-newsletter to Liz Conklin at liz.conklin@uni.edu.

UNI calendar of events

The UNI calendar of events is the official posting site for UNI events. All UNI events, regardless of audience, should be listed on the calendar, as soon as the event date is known. Posting should be updated immediately as details are finalized. Individuals who have calendar privileges can add items to the UNI online calendar by visiting https://access.uni.edu/acal/. Those who don't have calendar privileges can send the information to Liz Conklin at liz.conklin@uni.edu.

 

Community Relations

Community relations initiatives focus on events, programs and outreach that connect the university with the citizens of Iowa and beyond. Programming includes outreach that supports the university's priorities in undergraduate education, leadership in pre-K through 12 education, and the social, cultural and economic life in Iowa. Examples of community relations activities include:

 

Community and university events-Throughout the year, UNI stages or participates in educational and informational events, which are organized by public relations. Some of these events include distinguished lecture series featuring education speakers; university exhibits and speakers at statewide conferences and events; university programming for K-12 students; corporate relations activities; and UNI community visit days.

 

Speakers bureau-Public relations provides a comprehensive listing of UNI faculty and staff who are willing to make presentations about UNI or their personal and professional areas of expertise. The service is promoted to community groups across Iowa and is accessible at http://www.uni.edu/pubrel/speakers.

 

Lifelong University-Non-credit workshops and classes are made available for the lifelong learner. Faculty and staff teach classes on topics ranging from history, education, politics, arts and much more. For more information visit http://www.uni.edu/llu

 

K-12 education programming-Marketing and public relations initiatives promote UNI's rich history in educator preparation programs. Activities include media opportunities, education forums, UNI's Partner in Education program and constituent relations.

 

Media Relations

Public relations is responsible for contact with the news media, including the creation and distribution of information related to general university news or topics requiring an institutional response. The goal of UNI media relations efforts is to provide media outlets with useful information in a user-friendly, highly readable and credible format.

 

If you have an idea, program or event that you think media outlets would be interested in covering, please contact Liz Conklin at liz.conklin@uni.edu. Several options for disseminating your information to the media are available.

 

News release-A complete news story about UNI, or topical/timely news from a UNI source. Distributed to the media by UM&PR.

 

Media opportunity-A collection of short story leads (or media opportunities) with contact information containing news about UNI, or topical/timely news from a UNI source. Distributed to the media by UM&PR.

 

Op-ed-Guest editorials related to a topical/timely issue from a UNI source. An op-ed should be written by the UNI source. We encourage UNI sources to send the op-ed to UM&PR for distribution to the media. A disclaimer must be included that states: "The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by the University of Northern Iowa." Exceptions may be provided by UM&PR.

 

To view examples of the latest media relations efforts, visit http://www.uni.edu/pubrel/newsroom/.

 

Proactive pitching-UM&PR subscribes to several electronic services that allow media representatives around the world to post needs for experts and resources in order to pursue a story. When UNI has people who fit their needs, we try to match them up.

 

UNI Visual Identity and Style Guide -- Documents created for use in media relations efforts should follow the principles and guidelines found in the UNI Visual Identity and Style Guide. To view, click here.