How Thriving Higher Ed Institutions Internally Communicate

HIGHER ED COMMUNICATIONS

Stop Cramming Communications: How Thriving Higher Ed Institutions Internally Communicate While applying for a college, a potential student will be bombarded with Facebook interactions, emails, Tweets, and even text messages. But once the student is on campus, all the hype stops. Now they are responsible for seeking out information and often have to wait in line to speak with a school representative face to face. The same situation happens with faculty and staff. Higher education institutions have to admit it: their internal communication efforts are often neglected, and left on the backburner while the they throw their attention at other prospective students or alumni.

Campus communication teams must reassess their responsibility in keeping the student body informed

The campus communications team must reassess their responsibility in keeping the student body informed. From when classes are available for sign-up to where to find the school nurse, new students rely on them to provide these details. They must also keep their faculty and staff up-to-date, because the school website and handbooks do not always have the information they need.

The school website content is usually limited to a general-schedule calendar and an event notification system for visitors and potential students. Beyond this, the content team uses email blasts for campus news that typically land in the junk folder. The communications team has to distribute information across classrooms, offices, libraries, dormitories, and gyms. In the past, they often printed out a measly stack of flyers and tacked them onto overlooked bulletin boards. In such a fast-paced, high capacity environment these forms of communication fall short. Information can quickly change, resulting in wasted time, energy, and money.

36%

4/5

of faculty do not have an office on campus1

seniors commute to campus3 over

30%

of freshmen commute to college.2

Because of this, commuters frequently miss or receive wrong information about campus activities. Faculty members are often limited to a small mailbox, in place of an office. Without a rooted residence on the grounds, these campus members are passed over by typical communication attempts. 1 http://www.heri.ucla.edu/infographics/FAC_infographic.pdf 2 http://www.buffalostate.edu/campuslife/documents/thedisengagedcommuter.pdf 3 http://www.buffalostate.edu/campuslife/documents/thedisengagedcommuter.pdf

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Why Do Internal Communications Matter? A machine needs to run smoothly in order to stay in proper working condition, and if the higher education institution is the machine, internal communication is the oil. An inviting campus with thriving internal connections has a strong morale and a positive reputation. It develops a sense of community and belonging among staff members, faculty, and students. This is especially paramount in student retention rates. Impressionable freshmen who feel unwelcomed may be more inclined to transfer or drop out. WHAT ARE BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS? Communications for a specific audience require different tactics. The internal staff communication efforts should mirror corporate strategies and should be the responsibility of the academic and service department heads. Therefore, evaluations can be regularly reviewed for effectiveness. Communications for student only can be more laid back in tone when appropriate to the topic. For personal inquiries, they should be given directory information so that they can connect with appropriate parties like department heads or registrar personnel.

WHAT

WHY

DO YOU WANT THE CAMPUS TO KNOW?

DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT IT?

HOW DO YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL ABOUT IT?

WHAT

DO I WANT THEM TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

GET INVOLVED!

When messaging to the entire campus, it is important to keep tone of voice in mind. Messages should be neutral enough to reach both the 18 year old freshmen and the 70 year old staff members. When creating messages, the team should consider these questions:

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If a ‘Call to Action’ is required, be sure that it is clearly stated. TIMING IS EVERYTHING: AVOID UNTIMELY CONTENT Different times of the year call for different messages. The beginning of the semester is confusing for both faculty and students. Communications should be geared toward troubleshooting, wayfinding, and informing the campus of upcoming events. During holidays and breaks, massages should inform students of campus festivities, special cafeteria meals, times for airport shuttles and directions to the local bus/train stations. End of the semester communications should revolve around studying tips, dorm move-out instructions, and campus facility closings.



What is the Most Effective Communication Medium? It’s the digital age, and most campuses are trying to keep up with the tech-savvy students and faculty members. The generations attending college study off of tablets instead of printed books, order from digital menus instead of paper, and rely on instant information from electronic devices instead of newspapers.

97% OF STUDENTS WOULD RATHER RECEIVE DIGITAL INFORMATION.4

38% OF STUDENTS NEED TO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY EVERY 10 MINUTES5

OVER 1/3 OF FACULTY MEMBERS ASSIGN MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN EBOOKS6

To stay ahead of the game many campuses are turning to digital signage companies to power their content throughout across their entire site. Dynamic content, compared to static content, is more likely to retain audience attention. As stated above, students and faculty are already conditioned to see and retain moving, visual content with more efficiency than static options. Digital signage is no longer limited to slideshows and videos; the software allows campuses to implement interactive campaigns, integrate with existing data bases, and transmit live closed circuit TV. Using touchscreen hardware, users can even interface with social media sites. HOW TO ALERT THE CAMPUS IMMEDIATELY The greatest asset of digital signage on campus the ability to get information across the campus instantly; especially in the event of an emergency. In a campus safety breach, inclement weather, fire, etc., all signage displays the warning or message until the emergency has passed. After which, the signage will return to the originally scheduled content. No need to send emails or make calls; digital signage alert integrations gets the message to the entire campus. WAYFINDING AND DIRECTORIES Digital signage technology allows for wayfinding and directory integrations. Visitors and students can use the wayfinding options to locate a direct route to the dorms or lecture halls through interactive technology. Especially handy after renovations, directory applications can be updated and customized at the beginning of each semester, so professors and students alike can find exactly when and where they are lecturing. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: THE PERKS OF SITUATIONAL CONTENT Digital signage technology is advanced enough to feed campaigns into desired schedules and locations. Content that is location specific not only makes sense, but is also using content management in its most effective form. No need to waste campaign time on the café prices in the library, or registrar communications in the gymnasium. 4 http://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/blogs/digital-signage-getting-high-marks-in-higher-education/ 5 http://mashable.com/2011/05/31/college-tech-device-stats/ 6 http://www.insidehighered.com/sites/default/server_files/DigitalFaculty.htm
