Communications Plan

SGSC Communications Plan

The overall goal of the South Georgia State College (SGSC) Communication Plan is to enhance communication amongst our internal and external stakeholders by using effective tools and strategies to develop appropriate messaging and remove transmittal bottlenecks. This plan includes but is not limited to; Projects that are currently underway and new initiatives. The SGSC Communication Plan is designed to be sustainable and is subject to an annual review process.

Objectives: The SGSC Communications Plan shall,

1. Promote transparent and robust communication for the college community.

 Create a college communications advisory committee.

This advisory committee will include, faculty and staff representatives. Specifically, there will be representation from, Housing, Student Life, Advancement, Athletics, Academic Affairs, Faculty and Staff Assembly and IT. The president in consultation with the leader of this team shall select the members of the advisory committee.

 Replace the current, print style, faculty/staff newsletter with a web based, blog style vehicle.

The benefit of this change is that news that is pertinent to the college community could be distributed in real time. The blog should allow for comments and responses in order to create two-way dialogue. Possible title, “Hawk Talk”. An early task for the college communications committee would be to develop a set of community standards that would be applied to “Hawk Talk” and any other two-way communications. The comments/discussions should be curated. Any statements or comments that violate the community standards would not be posted. The application of the community standards and the process for determining violations as well as how decisions not to post would be determined and would fall to the college communications advisory committee.

2. Improve digital footprints through the website and social media.

 Revise and rearrange the SGSC homepage. 

The SGSC homepage should focus on telling the story of SGSC students and faculty regardless of design specifics. People relate and are attracted to stories of others who are like them. It is important for students, both potential and current, to see other students and think, “Hey, I can do that” or “I’m in that situation.” Equally important, both internally and externally, is the chance to spotlight faculty and staff achievements.

Magnifying student voices and experiences through social media.

The possibility of having students involved in providing the content for the college’s social media channels will be explored. For example, a student worker will be assigned to the operations group to seek out and provide student focused content. “Extending the Reach of Your Social Media” workshops should be developed. This would allow the SGSC communications staff to meet with student clubs and others who have oversight of SGSC related social media. The importance of sharing or tagging SGSC communications could be emphasized as a way to reach a larger audience. A tip sheet that spells out the benefits and methods of keeping SGSC communications looped in on all SGSC related social media should be developed and distributed.

Training faculty and staff to maintain and update their own departmental web sites.

This process is already underway and will continue regardless of the complete website redesign. The Content Management System (CMS) that is the backbone of the website should remain unchanged so training in this area can start immediately. Creation and updates to the following sites and training staff in these areas on how to maintain and update their own sites will continue as well as other future requests.

Current websites being redesigned

• B.A. in Professional, Business, and Technical Writing content

• Human Resources (updated some content. Working with Maria Stuckey who is deciding how she wants to structure the site.)

• Admissions (received a 5-page Word document listing content updates. Completed the updates and reviewed process with the director of admissions. Will be training additional staff that she designates.)

• Training was provided to the Academic Success staff from both campuses.

• Met with Katherine LeRoy to discuss options for establishing a SGSC Theater site. Need to follow up to schedule training/design.

Establish an annual or bi-annual reminder to update webpages.

At least twice per year, an email reminder will be sent from IT to each departmental content owner to review all of the webpages for their respective areas. Needed updates can be made by the department if they have been trained or they can be encouraged to submit a ticket to IT. This reminder can be emphasized at the first meeting of the President’s Cabinet each semester.

Increase student involvement in communications efforts.

Students voices and perspectives will be encouraged through academic and student activities opportunities.

3. Strengthen President’s communications with the campus and community.

Develop a “President’s Corner” column as part of a revised President’s Office website.

A revised President’s Office website will become part of the complete website redesign. The President’s Corner column, a vehicle for the president to communicate directly with the college community, is likely to be incorporated into the Hawk Talk blog.

Establish “State of South Georgia State” editorial board interviews with local media.

This annual meeting would be scheduled at a time determined to be most advantageous to the college by the leadership team (e.g. beginning of the academic year or beginning of the calendar year). A written document could also be sent as a news release to the more geographically distant media outlets.