Evolution of a Unified University Communications structure as presented at CASE District 8 meeting 2.2.2017 by Judy Asbury

1. +
The Evolution of a University
Communications Office
A Case Study
University of La Verne
Vice President Dr. Homa Shabahang, Consultant Judy Asbury

2. +
Purpose
■ How can the communications
office most effectively partner
with faculty, deans, provost,
president, board to achieve the
strategic goals of the university?
■ What is the “right” structure for
the communications function for
your institution?
■ How can you work toward that
structure and help people deal
with the change?

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Goals/Functions for U Communications
■ Enrollment/Retention
■ Reputation
■ Support Advancement efforts
■ Internal Communications
■ Community Communications
■ Government Affairs
■ Others?

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Communications – Then and Now
■ Source of Information – Old Model
■ Advertising
■ Editorial - Traditional Media –
Gatekeepers
■ Communications was responsibility
of handful of people
■ Source of Information – Now
■ Internet, Social Media
■ Smart phone video, pics transmitted
instantly
■ 24/7 News
■ Trending, Influencers
■ Content management across
channels
■ Communications is responsibility of
all; managed by handful

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Managing U Communications
■ Where is communications housed?
■ Advancement
■ Enrollment
■ President’s office
■ Individual Colleges, Departments
■ What is the OPTIMAL house?
■ What is your desired
outcome?
■ Benefits/costs of centralized
vs. decentralized

6. +
University of La Verne – Case Study
■ In 2005:
■ Website managed by IT
■ Colleges doing their own communications/marketing
■ No unified look, message
■ 2012:
■ PR (Editorial) under Advancement VP
■ Marketing (Ads, collateral, website) centralized under
Enrollment Management VP
■ Some consistency in look, messaging
■ 2013:
■ Confusion internally on who to call (PR or Marketing?)
■ Unmet expectations, disappointment
■ Still inconsistent communications, message, brand,
quality

7. +
2005
C of
Arts/Scie
nce
C of
Business
C of
Law
C of
Educa-
tion
Sports
ADVANCEMENT
ALUMS DONOR
No Marketing Dept/Website Administered by IT

8. +
22007-12
C of
Arts/Scie
nce
C of
Business
C of
Law
C of
Educa-
tion
Sports
ADVANCEMENT
ALUMS DONOR
Website Administered by Marketing; Social Media mostly PR
ENROLLMENT

9. +
2012 - 152
C of
Arts/Scie
nce
C of
Business
C of
Law
C of
Educa-
tion
Sports
ALUMS DONOR
Website Administered by Marketing; Social Media mostly PR
VP of ENROLLMENT
Office of Strategic Communications
Strategic
Comm
Council

10. +
Moving Toward a Central Unit
University of La Verne– Case Study
■ Process of discovery with President, Provost, VPs:
■ What is the current situation costing us?
■ Yes, we need a central communications unit
■ Why? Keep brand integrity, keep quality high, keep
message consistent, clear direction
■ Process of alignment and co-creating:
■ What is the structure?
■ Where is central unit housed?
■ Who is in charge?
■ How do we create one unified team?

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Creating Office of Strategic Comm
University of La Verne– Case Study
■ PR and Marketing leaders to co-lead
■ Housed under Enrollment for number of reasons
■ Advancement VP new, many challenges to bring
best practices to her area
■ Enrollment is top priority for university
■ Created Strategic Communications Council of
President, Provost, Vice Presidents to discuss major
communications issues, guidance for VP Enrollment
Management.

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3 years later….
University of La Verne– Case Study
■ The good:
■ Design is winning awards
■ Communications for Advancement, PR at higher level
■ The bad:
■ Office of Strategic Comm (OSC) still has silos
■ Dissatisfaction from many team members
■ Expectations from university are too high, often unmet
■ Combined PR/Mktg-OSC responsible for new vision, with no additional $$
■ A need for:
■ Overall Strategy for University Communications
■ Leadership with University partners (Deans, VPs, Directors)
■ Empowerment of OSC team members
■ Clear understanding of goals, priorities of OSC
■ Additional $$$ to match expectations

13. +
Reorganizing the OSC
University of La Verne– Case Study
■ From hierarchy to integrated teams
■ Teams of Digital, PR, Advertising, Design
■ Team leaders meet weekly; whole team
monthly
■ Members of OSC team learn to co-create –
identify roles/accountabilities
■ AVP serves as leader, meets with external
university partners, president often
■ Team leaders meet with University partners
on projects, develop trust for their expertise.

14. +
2015-16
VP of ENROLLMENT
Office of Strategic Communications
Strategic
Comm
Council

15. +
Shifting Understanding of the Office of
Strategic Communication
■ OSC: Marketing +PR
Faculty/Deans Dictate
PR or Marketing Direct
Implemented by OSC
■ OSC: Strategic
Communications
OSC leader and OSC team leaders +
Faculty/Deans
Discuss and Decide
Implemented by OSC

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Results
■ Major awards for
design/publications
■ Deans, VP expectations
managed (more often)
■ Clear priorities for team
■ Empowered team members
■ Enjoy the team/choosing the
basement

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Learned: A Successful Central
Communications Office Has:
■ Clear understanding of the main
communication goals – assists with university
wide understanding
■ Strategy for prioritization, what we can do, what
we can’t
■ Alternative creative resources for university
partners to use (keeping brand oversight)
■ Respect for expertise of team members
■ Manage university content: One message,
many mediums, coordinate distribution

18. +
Learned: Creating a Unified Team
■ Generate Alignment – key steps
■ Create safe space
■ Ability to see/listen to each other
■ Hear different perspectives as “their/my” truth, not “the” truth
■ Understand commonalities and differences
■ Tune into collective sense, group as a whole
■ Co-create vision and mission of the team
■ Co-create roles, responsibilities for various projects – matrix organization
■ Accepting change is a process
■ Seeing the situation as “data” not as a judgment of right or wrong
■ Pay attention to language, phrases used that remind all of the past

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What Does This Mean
for Advancement?
■ Understand the role advancement plays in
overall university goals
■ With Enrollment, Reputation Mgmt
■ Agendas are likely different, although ultimate
goal of success for University is same
■ Advancement writing is a style
■ Conflicts arise; welcome them as
opportunities to discover how to meet needs
more efficiently

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Questions/Discussion
judy@smithasbury.com
hshabahang@laverne.edu