The College’s official contact with external media outlets will be made only by or through the Office of Marketing. Providing the media with this reliable one-stop resource fosters confidence in the institution and ensures that the College speaks with a consistent, timely and accurate voice.
Purpose/Reason for Policy: The news media provide an important communication channel to the citizens of Greensboro, the region, state and nation. Public understanding and support of Guilford College’s programs can be enhanced by maintaining good working relationships with the media and providing information in a timely, cooperative, coordinated fashion.
Scope/Covered Persons: All Guilford College Employees and Students
The Policy:
Guilford is committed to providing the media with equitable and appropriate access to publicly relevant College matters, taking into account Guilford’s status as a private higher education institution and federal laws governing the release of information.
Media members are instructed to contact the Office of Marketing for facilitating interview requests. Accordingly, if contacted directly at work or at home by the media, faculty, staff and administrators should first consult with the marketing office before sharing information or granting an interview.
Student contact information will not be released by the Office of Marketing without permission of the student. If a student chooses to grant a media request, the Office of Marketing will facilitate that opportunity.
The Office of Marketing is eager to assist individuals in preparing for media interviews. Understanding what the reporter intends to — or will likely — want to discuss during the interview is essential to providing articulate, well-informed responses. Any individual who is asked questions by the media that fall outside of an individual’s expertise or authority, as well as those concerning confidential College matters, should redirected the media to the Office of Marketing without comment.
Similarly, any media request for a copy of an internal document that has not been publicly released should be directed to the Office of Marketing.
The College has established a Crisis Communications Policy that is part of the Emergency Operations Plan.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- The Office of Marketing: [1] Coordinates all contact with the media. [2] Coordinates release of all information to the media and other internal and external constituents in the event of a crisis or major emergency situation.
- The vice president of Marketing: Responsible for working with Public Safety, Facilities and Campus Services and other offices to assess a crisis situation and prepare the college response(s).
- Faculty and Staff: Alert Marketing if contacted by a member of the media.No one should offer public commentary concerning a College crisis, unless authorized and instructed by the Office of Marketing or the president.
- Members of the Media: Contact the Office of Marketing for facilitating interview requests.
Other related Policies, Regulations, Statutes, and Documents: Emergency Operations Plan, Guilford College Brand Guidelines, Social Media Guidelines, For the Media
Approval Authority: The Guilford College President
Responsible Office: Marketing, 336.316.2100, marketing@guilford.edu
Revision History: Updated January 1, 2018