QEP=MCXC PR Campaign Update UK Public Relations and Marketing Team Jay Blanton Erin Ziegler, Katy Bennett, Jenny Wells and Kathy Johnson An Equal Opportunity University

Objective for PR Campaign Educate students, faculty, staff and community members about UK’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP); create and maintain awareness about UK’s QEP for various constituencies on and off campus An Equal Opportunity University

QEP Promoters Subcommittee Representation from across campus including: UK Public Relations and Marketing UK Athletics UK Alumni Association Student Involvement College of Agriculture UK HealthCare College of Design College of Arts and Sciences – Division of Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Media Partnering with the Town Criers/Linkers Subcommittee An Equal Opportunity University

What Has Been Done Thus Far Promoted contest for QEP Topics through March 2011 –Included video with President Todd, WUKY interview and several UKNow stories/broadcast s to campus Since June 20, 2011: Reaching new students through Summer Advising Conference –Handbills in student packets promoting social media sites; meeting with student facilitators Established “UK MCXC” Facebook and Twitter accounts –Twitter: Twitter.com/UKMCXC –Facebook: MCXC/ (after 25 “likes” page will have shorter URL) Reached out to UK Core – working on cross promotion opportunities Connected UK Athletics and UK Alumni Association along with College of Agriculture and UK HealthCare with committee Preparation of video and UKNow story to introduce MCXC to campus – possible repurpose for speaking engagements (pending approval)video An Equal Opportunity University

All Vested Constituencies A more complete communications plan for fall spring 2013 is provided in our handouts (pending approval and subject to change). Highlights include general tactics such as: Promotion through campus publications/outlets including (but not limited to) UKNow, Kentucky Alumni Magazine, Kentucky Kernel, etc. Informational flyers available at Information desks, Visitor Center, King Alumni House, in bags at UK Bookstore Pitch stories relating to QEP to local media including the Herald Leader, Kentucky Forward, WUKY, Business Lexington, Lane Report, local television stations, etc. (As plan is developed and our QEP becomes national model for vertical integration, we can then pitch to national/higher education outlets.) An Equal Opportunity University

Students Sample tactics include: Summer Advising Conferences –Information in advising packets Creation of Facebook and Twitter accounts –Reaching students in the way they like to communicate Educating student leaders to serve as “ambassadors” to their respective organizations Connecting with student organizations and partnering on events Utilizing student-specific media opportunities –Wildcat Student Television, Kentucky Kernel, Halls in the Stalls, WRFL, etc. Partnering with UK 101/201 to educate new/transfer students An Equal Opportunity University

Faculty Sample tactics include: New Faculty Orientation –Presentation (Town Criers/Linkers) or materials provided College publications/newsletters Staff Sample tactics include: Staff Appreciation Day –Information/giveaways Information on CareWeb (UK HealthCare intranet) and other UK HealthCare specific communication modes An Equal Opportunity University

Challenges Finding a simple, concise and resonant way to communicate that QEP equals equipping students with the tools they need to communicate effectively in a complex world Maintaining a baseline awareness level among campus constituencies, primed for public relations surge closer to SACS campus visit Developing UK’s QEP strategy concurrent with QEP promotional plan, which leads to communication gaps, time lag and possible miscommunication as both develop and are revised Awaiting confirmation of SACS expectations with regard to campus and community awareness (i.e. what do we need to teach our audiences so they are prepared for SACS visit?) Creating a consistent message for a diverse audience; we have a large campus using different types of rhetoric and knowledge An Equal Opportunity University

Conclusion As we have developed our PR strategy, we have discovered that we are MCXC in action – we are utilizing the tools we hope to teach our students through UK’s QEP in order to promote the plan itself. This PR strategy is a prime example of how we communicate in a complex world. (link to UKNow video )UKNow video An Equal Opportunity University