PRP 2520 - Media Policy

Issued by: John L. Walker, V. P. for Institutional Advancement
Effective Date: April 15, 1987
NOTES: Reviewed and endorsed by Coordinating Committee on Institutional Advancement 1/14/87; by President's Cabinet 1/26/87; presented to University Forum for information and comment 2/16/87. Revisions approved by University Forum 4/24/96.

Bloomsburg University's general policy addressing relations with the mass media (newspapers, magazines, television, radio) is one in which university personnel deal openly, honestly, quickly, and accurately with media personnel to provide the media with all information about the university. The university also adheres to provisions in the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Sunshine Act of 1986 in the conduct of university business in meetings and hearings.

The Director of Media Relations, or his/her designee, is the official spokesperson for the university on general university issues. If another official speaks to the media on a general university issue or on behalf of the university, the comment is cleared through the Director of Media Relations. Faculty, staff, and students should feel free to talk to media about their own areas of expertise or their own opinions without clearing their statements through the Office of Marketing and Communication.

The principles as incorporated within this general policy are:

1. All news releases from Bloomsburg University are issued from the Office of Marketing and Communication. Departments or university program offices forward to the Office of Marketing and Communication all drafts of news releases or information they wish issued, and the Office of Marketing and Communication prepares a final draft, sends the release to appropriate media, and forwards a copy of the release to the originating office.
2. The Office of Marketing and Communication maintains a close working relationship with mass media in the geographic areas the university reaches.
3. The Office of Marketing and Communication Director or his or her designee works in close conjunction with the President's Cabinet and attends meetings of other administrative and management bodies on campus to have access to top-level information and thinking.
4. The President's Cabinet conducts a review at least annually to identify issues that could become critical or cause either positive or negative visibility in the media.
5. The Office of Marketing and Communication develops, with appropriate personnel involved, formal positions on issues or situations of interest to media and produces statements for the Office of Marketing and Communication Director and the officials involved to use in conversations with media.
6. The Office of Marketing and Communication maintains a crisis communication plan for dealing with media in natural disasters or any situation or event that negatively affects the image of the university.
7. Unless notified within 10 days of the first of a semester, the university may, if appropriate, release the following information, commonly referred to as directory information, to the media about individual students: name address telephone number date and place of birth major field of study participation in officially recognized activities and sports weight and height of members of athletic teams dates of attendance at Bloomsburg University degrees and awards received the most previous educational institution attended by the student
8. This same type of information may be released about alumni when it is available from the Alumni Affairs Office.
9. Information about faculty and staff that is kept on file in the Office of Marketing and Communication may be released to the media when appropriate.
10. Information about criminal incidents that occur on campus, including information about students or university employees involved if it is appropriate, will be released to the media by the Office of Marketing and Communication after the Office of Marketing and Communication has obtained accurate information from the Bloomsburg University Police Office.