Semester Conversion

Communications

M.B. ReillyAssistant Director, Public Relations

University of Cincinnati

Key communications strategy

To provide a central Web site for

information and to drive audiences to

that site via electronic, print and in-

person communication streams.

Major and Minor Audiences

Major Audiences prospective and future

students current students parents faculty and staff employers and corporate

partners alumni donors

Minor Audiences landlords police and fire public transportation residents businesses fans of UC athletics

Changing audiences and needs

Each audience will seek information at different times throughout the semester conversion

Faculty members are the current “strategic audience.”

We will need to prioritize and focus on strategic audiences, as they arise, throughout the semester conversion period.

Responding to strategic audiences

Phase 1: Faculty and Staff need information and

resources for course revision. 2009-2010.

Phase 2: Current students need information about

advising. 2010-2011.

Phase 3: TBD.

For each phase, communications focus on the needs

of the stragetic audience.

Communication streams

Electronic: Web site, video monitors, e-mail,

surveys, online “ask a question” forms.

Print: posters, signage, student newspaper ads,

door hangers for residence halls, business cards.

All print material will contain the Web site

address.

In-person: presentations, information booths,

meetings, campus tour guides, college

ambassadors.

The Web Site www.uc.edu/conversion

www.uc.edu/conversion

Web site concerns

Inspire calmness and quiet fears, rather than

create excitement

Provide complete and well organized

information

Make content available from multiple second-

level pages

Ensure users find the information they need

Coordinate among multiple posters

Navigation

This Web site offers multiple points of entry: audience-

based and content-based navigation.

Announcements

These three slots are

geared toward the needs

of the current primary

audience.

Audience pages

These pages provide users with a gateway to find and

access information content relevant to their needs.

Current Students

Future Students

Faculty & Staff

Community (Community Members and Parents)

Current Students page

Academic Calendar

Answers some of the most important questions,

including, “What is the first day of semesters?”

and “What will the new semester calendar look

like?”

Academic Calendar, continued

A print-ready version (pdf) is also included. A

user should be able to easily print important

information from the Web site so he may access

that information when he is away from a

computer.

Background

Explains why UC is converting to semesters.

Includes the advantages (for students) of a

semester calendar:

More academic opportunities

Ease student tranfers into and out of UC

Earlier entry into the job market

Greater flexibility for scheduling classes

Cooperative Education

For many programs at UC, co-op is a key

element.

The main purpose of this secondary-level page

is to assure readers that co-op will continue,

and the co-op programs will not suffer due to

semester conversion.

We want to assure students, parents and

alumni: Co-op employers love semesters!

FAQs

Text FAQs:General

Academic Credit

Co-op FAQ for Students

Co-op FAQ for Employers

Video FAQs for the “YouTube” generation

Helpful links, organized by audience

List of Ohio institutions converting to semesters

Pledge to Students

This pledge applies only to students who

complete semester conversion advising.

Three guarantees:

No loss of academic progress

No delay to degree completion

No increased cost for degree completion

Resources/Tools for Faculty/Staff

Offers links to course revision materials and curricular information.

Currently, faculty make up the primary users of this Web site.

The Web site is designed so faculty can easily access the resources and materials they need to complete their course and curriculum revisions. They can quickly bypass all pages intended for other audiences (current students, future students, parents, community members, etc.).