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Annual Report

2006-2007 Annual Report

Department Mission
Department Goals
Example of How Department Used Assessment
General Statement of Department Condition
Departmental Achievements
Staff Productivity
Student Achievements
Other Awards, Distinctions and Achievements

Departmental Mission

The Office of Communications and Marketing provides innovative, professional communications, and promotes and supports university programs to expand the public’s awareness of the University of West Georgia

Department Goals

I. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will provide accurate, timely promotion and coverage of campus events, programs and achievements, utilizing all appropriate media outlets.

University Mission: UWG is committed to the following areas of excellence: a broad range of public service activities and proactive partnerships to promote more effective use of human and natural resources; to contribute to economic, social and technical development; and to enhance the quality of life within the University’s scope of influence.

Bread and Butter Goals: #4 Public Relations and #7 External Relations

II. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will provide professional photographic services that support the news, publications and marketing needs of university departments.

Bread and Butter Goals: #2 Enrollment Management, #4 Public Relations, #7 External Relations

III. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will create data-driven marketing campaigns to assist in recruiting qualified students and fostering goodwill in support of fundraising.

University Mission: UWG is committed to the following areas of excellence: regional outreach through a collaborative network of external degree centers, course offerings at off-campus sites, and an extensive program of continuing education for personal and professional development; and affirmation of the equal dignity of each person by valuing cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in students, faculty, and staff.

Bread and Butter Goals: #2 Enrollment Management, #4 Public Relations, #7 External Relations, #11 Capital Campaign

IV. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will provide creative writing and design services for advertisements and marketing packages.

Bread and Butter Goals: #2 Enrollment Management, #4 Public Relations, #7 External Relations, #11 Capital Campaign

V. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will coordinate specific university-wide events, which include commencement ceremonies, building groundbreakings and dedications, PREP, TIP, and others.

Bread and Butter Goals: #4 Public Relations, #7 External Relations, #8 Regional collaboration for economic and community development, #11 Capital Campaign

VI. The Office of University Communications and Marketing will provide helpful and friendly initial contact information and scheduled group tours for visitors.

Bread and Butter Goals: #2 Enrollment Management, #4 Public Relations, #7 External Relations

Example of How Department Used the Assessment to Change/Improve a Process

Based on the 2005 Communications Analysis conducted by the marketing consulting firm Simpson Communications, one of the initial recommendations was to update both the content and design of the university’s Web site. Both the Senior Marketing Team and the Campus Marketing and Communications Team identified this as one of the first goals for implementation within the integrated marketing strategy. A Web Redesign Committee was formed in October of 2005 and the primary target audiences for the site were identified as prospective students and their parents, alumni and donors. The 2006-07 work included decisions concerning site hierarchy, navigation, content and design. Campus surveys were conducted, usability tests were performed through high school focus groups, design feedback was solicited and the new site was launched in August. Work continued as a Google Mini search was installed, the Content Management System (Red Dot) implementation began, content was continuously updated and improved, department templates were designed and training began with area Web masters.

General Statement of Department Condition

Staffing of the department continues to be addressed in order to implement the increased initiatives brought forth from the integrated marketing strategy. Josh Sewell was hired as Coordinator of Advancement Publications and he began management of Perspective, Developments, the Red and Blue Banner, and the UWG Foundation Annual Report and Honor Roll. His first year was primarily a training year. Tricia Herndon was promoted to Associate Director of the department and she undertook increased responsibilities for editing and art directing Developments and the UWG Foundation Annual Report and Honor Roll and Perspective. In addition, she increased her role as designer and creative director of advancement publications, such as materials for the A DAY for West Georgia campaign, throughout the year. Lisa Ledbetter was promoted to Assistant Vice President of the department to reflect her ever increasing university-wide leadership role. Julie Lineback was hired as Web Content Manager and provides support to the department, Web Redesign Committee, and departments across campus.

Departmental Achievements

The institution’s Centennial observance was conducted from Aug. 06 � Aug. 07 and the Centennial Celebration Steering Committee and activities were coordinated through this office under the direction of Lisa Ledbetter. Events for students, faculty and staff, donors, and community members were conducted around the theme of: From Rural Roots to Global Reach: Celebrating a Century of Success. Highlights included the university’s first-ever black tie gala, Congressional recognition in Washington, D.C., and a concert for students featuring a major talent.
The office supported the fundraising efforts for the building of a football stadium on campus by creating the marketing strategy and materials including a CD, web site, specialty envelopes and multiple direct mail pieces.
Initiatives from the Integrated Marketing Plan were continued such as conducting a second series of market research with prospective students, current students and alumni; increasing visibility in metro-Atlanta; enhanced advancement publications, creation of visual identity standards; web site development; and other tactics.
Lisa Ledbetter, Steven Broome and Julie Lineback participated in the Web Redesign Committee and a new site for the university was launched in August.
The staff coordinated nine commencement ceremonies and two Duke University TIP Recognition Ceremonies.
The staff conducted 10 group campus tours.
The staff coordinated the grand opening of the Campus Center in August.
Tricia Herndon served as creative director and assistant copy editor for two issues of the biannual fundraising magazine, Developments; two issues of the biannual alumni magazine, Perspective; and the UWG Foundation Annual Report and Honor Roll. Steven Broome provided photography and the staff wrote the majority of copy for these publications.
The staff provided marketing support for A DAY for West Georgia. Tricia Herndon designed eight award-winning invitations, 11 promotional ads and two thank-you ads for the campaign.
Tricia Herndon created university advertisements for placement in such publications as Georgia Trend, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta Magazine, Marietta Journal, Newnan-Coweta Magazine and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as special section advertising for local newspapers and for Chamber of Commerce magazines for Carroll County, Douglas County, Newnan and Georgia.
Tricia Herndon designed a series of five graduate recruitment advertisements for the College of Education for placement in PAGE ONE, the magazine of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. She also designed advertising for such units as the Graduate School, the Richards College of Business, Nursing, and Special Education and Speech-Language Pathology. At the special request of the Board of Regents Office, she designed advertising for the Georgia Hero Scholarship Program.
The staff provided text and photography for university inserts in one national guide (Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges) and two regional guides (BellSouth Yellow Pages and Yellow Book), as well as special section text for local newspapers.
Tricia Herndon produced 15 issues of The Campus Chronicle, the faculty/staff newsletter.
Tricia Herndon and Lisa Ledbetter assisted in setting guidelines for use of typography and color in university publications through their work with the UWG Visual Identity Committee.
Tricia Herndon designed the university’s centennial lamp post banners and other university advancement publications and marketing materials, and she served as a creative consultant to departments regarding marketing publications design.
Kathy Wagstaff provided profiles for guides in Georgia Trend, Gwinnett Magazine and the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Kathy Wagstaff coordinated marketing strategy and publicity for the first annual UWG Water Resources Conference.
Kathy Wagstaff supported and helped coordinate UWG Earth Day with the Department of Geosciences and the Geosciences Club.
Kathy Wagstaff began a comprehensive online news service, UWG in the News, on the UCM website, and a daily e-report to PAC members.
Kathy Wagstaff began an email service that alerts faculty and staff of published works that includes their names or discipline.
Kathy Wagstaff developed an online Experts Guide.
Kathy Wagstaff arranged radio interviews for several weekly morning news shows with President Beheruz N. Sethna, Dr. Jon Wiles, Amy Ware, a public school teacher and several UWG students.
Kathy Wagstaff produced a UWG Style Guide for student writers.
Steven Broome logged 529 photo jobs/assignments from July 1, 2006 � June 31, 2007. These included on-location photographic coverage for various special events, athletic events, UWG concerts, UWG Theatre performances and University Advancement events; as well as studio photography for various UWG clients including faculty, staff, student organizations, alumni and other special projects. These photos found use in various UWG publications, including athletic media guides, academic departmental brochures, administrative departmental brochures, admissions recruitment materials, UWG main website, College of Education website, Graduate and Undergraduate catalogs, UWG Advancement publications, UCM generated advertisements, the online stock photo gallery; and local, regional and student hometown news releases.
Steven Broome managed the Centennial Celebration website for the celebration year.
Steven Broome designed, created and maintained the Alumni Stadium Campaign website.
Steven Broome worked with Alumni Relations to produce the Red & Blue Banner electronic newsletter for UWG alumni.
Steven Broome supervised and worked closely with the Web Content Manager, Julie Lineback, to implement and troubleshoot the RedDot CMS for various university websites.
Steven Broome served on the Web Redesign committee to continually develop the usability of the UWG main site and implement the RedDot CMS.
Web Content Manager Julie Lineback continued to be a key player in the redesigning of the campus Web site. A content management system (CMS) was purchased, and along with ITS, she assisted in transferring the content of the main UWG site to the CMS.
Julie Lineback created and completed the Association for Retired Faculty and Staff (AFRS) Web site using the VPUA template. She also maintained and updated the Development and Alumni Relations and Publications and Printing Web sites as well as the core UWG site.
Julie Lineback did an inventory of all undergraduate majors and graduate programs and overhauled the Majors and Programs section of the core UWG site.
Julie Lineback consulted with the following departments regarding their content: Graduate School, Mass Communications and the American Democracy Project.
Josh Sewell was hired to coordinate all advancement publications, including Perspective, Developments and Honor Roll and the Red and Blue Banner (fulfilling a goal set in last year’s annual report)
Advancement publications are now on an alternating and more precise schedule. Donors and alumni now get a magazine in winter, spring, summer and fall under Josh’s management.
This year’s UWG Foundation Annual Report and Honor Roll of Donors featured a centennial theme and honored the spirit of giving.

Staff Productivity

Lisa Ledbetter, Assistant Vice President
Campus and Community Service:
Chair, Web Redesign Committee
Campus Liaison for the Centennial Celebration Steering Committee
Centennial Concert Planning Committee
Senior Marketing Team
Campus Marketing and Communications Team
Stadium Development Committee
Co-Chair of Recruitment and Marketing Sub-committee for Enrollment Management
Commencement Task Force
Homeland Security Committee
Institutional Studies and Planning Committee
Strategic Planning Committee
Facilities Advisory and Planning Committee
Strategic Planning for UWG Parking Committee
Technology Planning Committee
Atlanta Regional Committee of Higher Education (ARCHE)
Georgia Education Advancement Council (GEAC) Conference Planning Committee
GEAC Board of Directors
Guest Lecturer for Public Relations class for Mass Communications
Member of Carroll County Pandemic Flu Planning Committee
West Georgia Business Women’s Alliance
Carrollton Rotary Club Board of Directors
Professional Development:
Attended the Winter and Summer conferences of the Georgia Education Advancement Council
Attended the Winter and Summer meetings of the Public Relations Administrative Committee of the University System of Georgia
Speechwriting for College and University Presidents workshop

Tricia Herndon, Assistant Director
Campus and Community Service:
University Visual Identity Committee
Committee to Evaluate Vice President for Student Services
Student Work Advisory Committee
Campus Marketing and Communications Team
Departmental coordinator for the A DAY for West Georgia Faculty/Staff Drive
Professional Development:
Attended Georgia Education Advancement Council winter conference.
Completed two-day Adobe-certified advanced course on InDesign software.
Completed two-day Adobe-certified introductory course on Photoshop software.
Completed online seminars through Dynamic Graphics magazine on typography and branding.

Steven Broome, Assistant Director
Campus and Community Service:
UWG Web Redesign Committee
Guest lecturer for two Media and Instructional Technology courses
Instructor for four Continuing Education courses
Professional Development:
Attended Georgia Education Advancement Council winter conference

Kathy Wagstaff, Assistant Director for News Services
Campus and Community Service:
Judge for the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
Hospitality chair assistant for the Goo Goo Dolls Concert
Media Day vendor
Pandemic Flu Communication Committee, District 4
Risk Communication Training, District 4
UWG Pandemic Flu Planning Committee
UWG Energy Conservation Committee
UWG Earth Day Committee
UCM Coordinator of SRAP
Kiwanis International of Carrollton
League of Women Voters
Atlanta Press Club
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)
Atlanta Regional Committee of Higher Education (ARCHE)
Professional Development:
Attended Public Relations Administrators Committee (PRAC) meetings
Attended Georgia Educators Administrators Committee (GEAC) fall and summer conferences
Speechwriting for College and University Presidents workshop

Julie Lineback, Web Content Manager
Campus and Community Service:
Web Redesign Committee
Professional Development:
Attended Georgia Education Advancement Council winter conference
Attended RedDot CMS training
WebEx Seminar--Let’s Get Blogging: How-To’s for Starting a Successful Admissions Blog
Attended iTunesU presentation

Josh Sewell, Coordinator of Advancement Publications
Professional Development:
Attended Fall GEAC conference in St. Simons Island
Attended CASE Editor’s conference in Chicago
Attended online giving conference in Atlanta

Student Achievements

An SRAP student in our office was awarded an internship at the WSB-TV news channel for the fall semester.

Students had stories published in regional newspapers with their bylines and left with substantial portfolios.

Other Awards, Distinctions and Achievements

UCM shares the recognition with our colleagues in University Advancement for the 2006 District III CASE Grand Award for Excellence in Educational Fund Raising for the year’s A DAY for West Georgia campaign materials. Another joint divisional project, the Centennial Celebration Gala dinner program, received the Best Creative Use of Paper Award from the Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia.

Tricia Herndon won two awards in the national APEX Awards for Publication Excellence competition: a 2007 Award of Excellence for Design and Illustration of Calendars, Posters and Certificates for the university centennial calendar, and a 2007 Award of Excellence for Design and Illustration of Print Ads and Advertorials for the College of Education Sept/Oct 2006 ad in PAGE ONE magazine. The centennial calendar also won a Best of Category Award from the Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia. Steven Broome provided photography for both items.

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