An Overview of the Office of Student Communications

1. SEND ME SOMETHING
AWESOME!
An overview of the Office of Student Communications

2. WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
OUR TOOLSAND SERVICES
OUR WORK
FUTURE PLANS
AGENDA

3. STUDENT COMMUNCATIONS TEAM
3
EMINE MARTINI
Communications Ninja
LI GARDINER
Senior Design Extraordinaire
ABIGAILTORRES
Amazing Assistant
PAUL PHILIPS
Director Guy
JASON WILLIAMS
Marketing and Design Genius
PATRICIA LAPINSKI
Project Queen

4. OUR MISSION
The Office of Student Communications provides and promotes effective
marketing and communication support to the Division of Student Affairs.
Through strong collaboration within the Division, our aim is to develop
and implement clear, consistent and meaningful strategies that will engage
the Hunter student population and enhance the mission of the College.

5. OUR VISION
As we move towards our goal in support of the Division of Student
Affairs, we envision ourselves as trailblazers of higher education
communication and strive to cultivate a nurturing environment where
every individual is empowered to learn, share, and grow for the good of
the Office, the Division and the College.

6. OUR CORE VALUES
We strive to embody the following in all that we do:
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We love to create. We leverage our
experience, passions and skills to bring about
ideas and innovations that solve problems and
make things work in new and unconventional
ways.
Creativity
We are committed to professionalism and
doing our best work. We also understand the
importance of enjoying and managing one's
personal life. We promote an environment
that respects this need for proper balance.
Life/Work Balance
We take our work seriously, but recognize the
need to smile. We encourage lighthearted
moments that bring joy as a means to a more
productive, efficient, and harmonious
workplace.
Levity
We honor our commitments and speak up for
what we believe. We understand that honesty,
respect, and clarity are at the center of good
relationships and effective collaboration.
Integrity
We own what we do. We take responsibility
for our actions in times of success and failure.
Accountability
We believe that intellectual growth lies in
challenging ourselves. Sometimes we struggle,
sometimes we fail-but always we learn, persist
and grow.
Resilience

7. SERVICES FOR PRIMARY CLIENTS
Primary clients include all offices that fall under the Division of Student Affairs
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Print Media
Event Support
Digital Display Ads
Email Broadcasts
Mass emails for prospects,
applicants, admitted, and
enrolled students.
Includes single monitor and
large 3x1 displays throughout
campus.
Automated event
communication plans via
Hobsons E&I module.
Includes postcards, flyers,
brochures, posters, and
banners. Limited quantities.
Web Support
eNewsletters
Social Media
Phone Outreach
Targeted phone outreach
campaigns and scripts via
Hobsons Telecenter module.
Includes Schools App
announcements and Hunter
main social media channels.
Regularly scheduled emails for
thematic content. Typically
requires opt-in.
Includes troubleshooting, best
practice recommendations,
strategy, and training.

8. SERVICES FOR SECONDARY CLIENTS
Secondary clients includes offices that fall outside the Division of Student Affairs
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Event SupportEmail Broadcasts
Mass emails for prospects,
applicants, admitted, and
enrolled students.
Automated event
communication plans via
Hobsons E&I module.
eNewslettersPhone Outreach
Targeted phone outreach
campaigns and scripts via
Hobsons Telecenter module.
Regularly scheduled emails for
thematic content. Typically
requires opt-in.

9. TOOLS WE MANAGE
The Office of Student Communications provides access, training and support for the followingtools:
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A CRM tool used
primarily for
communicating with
prospective students
through the point that
they are enrolled in the
College. Used to host
MyChoice portal.
Hobsons
Connect
A CRM tool used
primarily for
communicating with
enrolled students through
graduation. Used to host
MyHunter student portal
and DegreeAudit
process.
Hobsons
Retain
An appointment
scheduling tool that
allows students to easily
schedule, cancel or
change an advising
appointment.
Agile
Advisor
A private, branded social
community primarily for
newly admitted students.
Includes standalone
mobile app and desktop
versions. Provides
predictive model for Fall
yield.
Schools
App

10. OUR WORK BY THE NUMBERS
In the past six months
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95 110 290 1225
Multi-Channel
Projects
Hunter-Gatherer
Entries
Emails
Queued
Inquiries
Fielded

11. 11
MyHunter Portal
for New Students
Various Offices
The MyHunter Portal for New Students leverages a
mobile-friendly gaming concept where students must
complete tasks in order to change their tiles from purple
to green. Once all tiles are green, students may continue
to register for courses. A weekly reminder is sent to let
students know what steps are complete, incomplete
and/or locked.
Over 80% of Fall 2016 deposited
freshmen completed their MyHunter
page by July 1, 2016.
Completion Rate
80%

12. 12
OOA Monthly
Newsletter
Office of the Arts
A monthly newsletter for students interested in Arts &
Culture events and internships. Each volume includes a
main feature, NYC event, Hunter event, and an
internship opportunity.
Includes 12 volumessent over the past
year.
Average Open Rate
30%
Includes current Hunter students who have
opted-in to receive newsletter.
Newsletter Distribution List
7,205

13. 13
Career Fair
Career Development Services
Working with Career Development Services, print and
digital media was produced to promote the Fall 2016
Career Fair for current students (formerly Career Expo)
including single monitor displays, 3x1 display ads, flyers,
postcards and posters. To help capture attention, we
showcased the benefits of attending and highlighted
well-respected companies and brands that participated in
the event.

14. 14
Get Ahead of the
Game Workshops
Financial Aid
Series of hands-on Financial Aid Workshops offered to
currently enrolled undergraduates in November 2016.
Email invitation sent to 15,300 enrolled
undergraduate students.
Average Open Rate
34%
Registrations for the four November
workshops reached capacity (25 RSVPs
each).
Registration Capacity
100%

15. 15
Admissions Road
Piece
Admissions & Recruitment
Intended for prospective students, the Road Piece aims
to highlight the a wide breadth of opportunities at
Hunter College. The design leverages info graphics and
hi-quality photos to allow readers to easily peruse the
content.
The Road Piece purposefully speaks to the many
benefits of attending Hunter, rather than highlight
the application process and requirements.
It’s All About the Benefits
The look and feel of the brochure will be mimicked
on the new prospective-student webpages to create
cohesion between the print and web experience.
Synergy

16. 16
ePermit Request
Confirmation
Registrar
The ePermit Request Confirmation is an automated
process that provides students with an email to confirm
receipt of an ePermit request. An automated data feed
(provided by ICIT) and a series of four emails allow
students receive up to one confirmation per semester.
Over 1,050 ePermitRequest
Confirmations sent for the Fall 2016
semester.
Confirmations Sent
1,050

17. 17
Major Madness
Division of Student Affairs &
Division ofAcademic Affairs
A month-long event themed around NCAA’s “March
Madness” to encourage undeclared undergraduates to
explore major interests and connect with faculty and
advisors. Major Madness culminated with Major Day –
an event designed to showcase majors and facilitate
student-faculty engagement.
Over 52 academic areas represented
during the Major Day event on March
24, 2016.
Academic Areas
52+

18. 18
Commencement
Program
Hunter College
Over 7,000 Commencement Programs are printed and
distributed during winter and spring Commencement
Ceremonies. The project involvesstrong collaboration
between the Commencement Committee, Registrar, and
OSC. Our primary role includesprogram design and
layout, copyediting, and to help facilitate the transition of
student names and awards into the program.

19. 19
Connect With Your
Advisor
Advising
This Fall, an email communication plan was created to
invite variousadvising cohorts to schedule an advising
appointment via AgileAdvisor. Messages were targeted
and tailored toward specific transfer, sophomore, junior
and senior audiences.
Includes 4 targeted emails sent in October
2016.
Average Open Rate
46%
To more easily identify various“Advising” cohorts, a
“Combined Credit Total” was created in Retain that
combines each student’s Current Enrolled Credit Total +
Earned Credit Total.
New Way to Target

20. 20
Sexual Misconduct
Prevention Training
Student Conduct
In 2016, the Sexual Misconduct Prevention training
program was added to new students’ MyHunter portal as
a required task prior to registration. Students are shown
instructions and provided a link to access the training
module on the EverFi platform. A manual data feed is
used to populate compliance on the student record.
Over 3,653 undergraduate students
admitted in the Fall 2016 semester
completed the EverFi | Haven Sexual
Misconduct Training Program.
Compliance Rate
91%

21. 21
Active Shooter
Response Plan
Public Safety
The Active Shooter Response plan aims to leverage the
”Run-Hide-Fight” motto promoted by the US
Department of Defense. Because of Hunter College’s
vertical campus environment, a nuanced version of the
campaign is being developed that takes a non-linear
approach and places less emphasis on “Running” as the
first and best option.
Public Safety Awareness (Fall 2017)
To help promote the Active Shooter Response plan
and other public safety resources, the MyHunter
page for new students will include a step dedicated
to these topics. A Public Safety Awareness Week
campaign is also being developed.

22. BRANDING DIGITAL & PRINTED MEDIA
COLOR PALETTES
TYPEFACES
LOGOS & MOTTOS
THE HUNTER BRAND
Our office uses the Visual Identity Standards Reference Guide for
appropriate guidelines and usage standards for:
In October of 2016, the Office of Marketing
& Communications approved and released
a Hunter Identity Standards Reference
Guide that is designed to help maintain and
strengthen the Hunter brand.
VISUAL IDENTITY STANDARDS
reference guide
Approved | October, 2016

23. THREE T’s FOR AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
TARGETING
Targeting is a method of reaching a
pre-defined audience who share a
common attribute, completed a
specific action, etc.
TAILORING
Tailoring is a means of crafting your
content to speak to your intended
audience.
TIMING
Even a targeted and tailored message
could miss the mark if the timing is
off.

24. BASIC PROJECT WORKFLOW
To submit a project request, visit: www.hunter.cuny.edu/osc/request
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STEP 01
STEP 02
STEP 03
STEP 04
STEP 05
Every project has to start somewhere!
The quickest way to get a project on our
radar is to submit a request at
www.hunter.cuny.edu/osc/request
1. SUBMIT A REQUEST
Once we have a communication plan, we
create a Basecamp project where we can log
action items and assets and communicate
with you about the project.
3. LOG IN BASECAMP
Setting clear goals in advance will allow
us to provide you with measurable data
that can be used to inform future projects.
5. ASSESSAND REVIEW
Your request lands in Basecamp and is
discussed by our team. A lead is assigned
to follow-up with you and formulate a
communication plan.
2. DISCUSS AND PLAN
Before we ship, we will request your
approval on content. Basecamp makes
the approval process really simple.
4. APPROVE AND EXECUTE

25. BASECAMP IS OUR BACKBONE
The Basecamp project management tool.
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Once we have a communication plan, we create a Basecamp project where we can log action items and assets and
communicate with you about the project. Communication with your team is completed directly via email, so you don’t need
to sign-up or login to Basecamp. Your team will be provided a unique link and PIN # so that you can access our
communication thread at anytime. You will get an approval request on all items requiring a sign-off.

26. ON THE DESK FOR 2017
Here’s a few things we have planned for the new year:
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Bi-weekly meet-up to discuss marketing and
communication plans, issues, ideas.
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
A monthly newsletter to share communication
efforts within the Division of Student Affairs.
OSC NEWSLETTER
Tentative text messaging implementation
scheduled for late-Summer 2017.
TEXT MESSAGING

27. ON THE DESK FOR 2017
Here’s a few more things we have planned for the new year:
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The “everything” bible for new and current
students.
DIGITAL STUDENT HANDBOOK
A comprehensive two-year plan for current
undergraduates to increase student success
and engagement.
TWO-YEAR STRATEGICCOMMUNICATION PLAN
On-Track is a web redesign project aimed to
remove student obstacles pertaining to academic
success & financial literacy.
ON-TRACK

28. Request a project at:
www.hunter.cuny.edu/osc/request
Web: www.hunter.cuny.edu/osc
Email: osc@hunter.cuny.edu
CONTACT US :
Search “Student Communications”
on the Hunter Directory:
www.hunter.cuny.edu/directory
Location: 209 North (enter via 203N)