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Effective Date: 7.30.24

Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure all engagements with media representatives on behalf of the University of Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ Boulder are coordinated by Strategic Media Relations in the Office of Strategic Relations and Communications to promote and protect the university’s public image, build openness and accountability, and respect the media's legitimate and useful role. 

Guidelines

Introduction

These guidelines define how employees coordinate with Strategic Media Relations when interacting with media representatives to effectively showcase the university’s teaching and research mission. Presenting the university through consistent and coordinated messages will best uphold the institution’s excellence, value and impact as a public research university with the public. Communication authority rests ultimately with the chancellor through the University Executive Leadership Team (UELT). This document and accompanying procedures define roles and responsibilities in support of that authority. 

Statement

Interactions with media representatives by employees communicating on behalf of the University of Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ Boulder, including but not limited to, announcements; interview requests; opinion pieces and events where the media would be invited to attend shall be directed to Strategic Media Relations, which will coordinate with various campus units for content to promote the university’s public image, build openness and accountability, and respect the media's legitimate and useful role. Strategic Media Relations will respond in a timely manner to all requests from media representatives to best facilitate interviews and support the logistics of fulfilling requests. 

1. When acting in the capacity as a university representative, staff members are required and faculty are encouraged to coordinate with Strategic Media Relations on all requests for information or comment from media representatives.  
2. Staff and faculty should not publicly represent policy or positions of the university without prior approval from the unit vice chancellor; or dean; and/or provost; and/or SVC/CFO; and/or chancellor, as appropriate, and without coordinating with SRC.
3. All proactive  efforts for media placements, such as major departmental or unit announcements, op-ed submissions advancing official scholarly work done at or on behalf of the university, letters to the editor related to university policy and/or work done at or on behalf of the university, and other submissions for publication in news outlets, must be coordinated through Strategic Media Relations. This does not apply to faculty work submitted to scholarly academic journals. 
4. All communication with media representatives and the campus during an emergency or crisis will be developed and distributed by Strategic Relations and Communications. SRC is responsible for developing, updating and coordinating the campus emergency communications plan in coordination with the Division of Public Safety. 

Applicability

University of Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ Boulder employees. 

Procedures

Guidelines

All interactions with media representatives must be coordinated through Strategic Media Relations.  

1. Contact to SMR can be made by emailing cunews@colorado.edu or contacting a Strategic Media Relations staff member to coordinate interactions with media representatives. These interactions include: 
   1. Requests or inquiries received from media representatives for information, Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ Open Records Act requests, comments, interviews or other responses on the university’s behalf.
   2. Proactive efforts by employees to generate news coverage of events, news, research, scholarship or other university activities.
   3. Op-eds, letters to the editor or other submissions for publication in a news outlet when acting as a university representative.
   4. Major announcements that could generate major media coverage for a unit or the university.
   5. Examples: major donations ($1M+), leadership changes, new programs or colleges, program discontinuance, new corporate partnerships, facility groundbreakings and facility grand openings, major public events, layoffs, significant employee disputes and other announcements as determined by unit leaders or managers. 
2. Employees in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics should report media inquiries not related to routine athletic team coverage to the Director of Athletics Strategic Communications, who also can be reached at cunews@colorado.edu. 
3. Strategic Media Relations shall be responsible for developing and implementing crisis communication strategies. Strategic Media Relations is committed to taking a proactive approach to crisis communications efforts and to being communicative with the campus community and general public. The university seeks to ensure transparency on key campus issues and use effective crisis communications to build openness and accountability. 
4. To provide consistent and accurate information to the general public during an emergency, only designated university spokespeople are authorized to speak to media representatives on the university’s behalf.
5. Approval from the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Relations and Communications, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Stratetic Communications, the Chief Spokesperson or their designee(s) is required for any other employee to speak to a media representative on behalf of the university during an emergency situation or significant event. SRC is responsible for the campus emergency communications plan.  

Definitions

Media representative – a reporter, writer, editor, producer, news director, photographer or other person representing a news outlet. 

News outlet – television news station, radio station, newspaper, magazine, online news site, or other outlet representing itself as a source of news. 

Crisis communications – the need to provide information urgently to the campus community and/or general public due to a safety concern or reputational threat.