comm final proposal

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North Greenville University

Communications Committee

Communications Project Proposal

April 7, 2009


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North Greenville UniversityCommunications Committee

Connections Project Proposal

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Executive Summary

In December 2008, Dr. Jimmy Epting, President of North Greenville University convened a group offaculty and staff (Communications Committee) to examine internal and external communication

processes and technology, and to make a proposal for improving communication. While communication

to interested parties both inside and outside the University is taking place, it is not effectively engaging

participation in or creating understanding of University core values. There is significant concern

opportunities for donations, recruitment, retention, and community participation are not being maximized.

The committee believes that there are three primary goals and characteristics that should guide the

recommendation made by this committee and the actions taken by the University with respect to

communication. They are:

1. Communication by the University should be timely, relevant, and include core value statementsconcerning the mission and purpose of the institution. We should not miss a single opportunity to

engage our constituency with our message and the opportunities available on our campus.

2. This effort must be championed by a dedicated individual that will develop, implement, andenable the communications process. An effort of this nature is not spontaneous, nor is it self-

sustaining. It will require the constant care and feeding of a leader in order to be successful.

3. Technology is not the creator of timely, relevant, and effective communication; rather it is anenabling component. Much of the communications process can be implemented without

additional technology; however careful selection and implementation can greatly increase the

effectiveness of this plan.

The Communications Committee makes recommendations in three key areas; staffing to implement,

coordinate, and sustain a communications program, processes to focus University communication efforts,

and technology to enable the collection, production, and delivery of communication. Recommendations

in each of these three areas can be scaled in their implementation to balance advantages gained against the

cost of implementation. None of these recommendations are presented in sufficient detail to implement;

rather they suggest the purpose and characteristics of projects to affect implementation.

PeopleTwo full time staff positions and a program of internship are recommended:

1. Communications Director This staff position, reporting to the Vice President of UniversityAdvancement, would have ownership of the institutional communications process. This position

will be pro-active in seeking opportunities to coordinate and facilitate communication through

each department and college; establishing standards and best practices.


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2. Webmaster This staff position, reporting to the Communications Director, will have ownershipof web site content, working with the Communications Director, departments and colleges to

develop and deliver communication through that medium.3. Student workers and internships Students will be leveraged to accomplish administrative,

logistical and clerical activities supporting the communications process.

ProcessImplementation of an institutional communications process is recommended. This process defines the

role of content providers, individuals, departments, and colleges that communicate, and channel owners,

individuals, departments, and colleges that provide a channel for communication. Content providers,

channel owners, and the Communications Director / Webmaster will work together to produce timely,

relevant information to target audiences using the most appropriate channels, leverage resources within

the University to produce communication, and capture events for archival and later use. The

Communications Director would ensure that core values messages such as institutional purpose and value

are included in the communication.

TechnologyThe Communications Committee believes that technology serves to enable the internal/external

communications process. Technology will be evaluated and implemented to enable the communications

process through the work of the Communications Director and Webmaster. Recommended technologies

include

Implement a student website community to provide an institutionally relevant social space forstudent collaboration. This recommendation acknowledges the importance of on-line social

communities in the lives of our students, and seeks to include communication from the University

in this space. Implement a web portal to aggregate entrance into all on-line activities for students, faculty, staff,

and constituents. This capability will be an important communications channel that focuses

communication from every institutional activity. Implement a digital signage platform on campus to provide programmed and live content at hightraffic areas and gathering places. Similar in concept to the Information Channel, this platform

will implement a variety of formats. Develop an on-line presence for faculty, students and administrators for structured

communication with prospects and other interested parties to provide information about the

University, student life, and academics.


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ContentsExecutive Summary...................................................................................................................................... 2Proposal........................................................................................................................................................ 5

Presidents Charge.................................................................................................................................... 5Current Environment................................................................................................................................ 5

Processes............................................................................................................................................... 5Culture.................................................................................................................................................. 6Technology........................................................................................................................................... 6

Methodology............................................................................................................................................. 6Recommendation...................................................................................................................................... 7

Process.................................................................................................................................................. 7Technology........................................................................................................................................... 8Resources.............................................................................................................................................. 9Definitions........................................................................................................................................... 11Other Processes................................................................................................................................... 13Cost..................................................................................................................................................... 13Benefits............................................................................................................................................... 13Issues................................................................................................................................................... 14Alternatives......................................................................................................................................... 14

Implementation Plan............................................................................................................................... 14APPENDIX A............................................................................................................................................. 16APPENDIX B............................................................................................................................................. 21APPENDIX C............................................................................................................................................. 23


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Proposal

This document proposes the establishment of a campus wide process to facilitate internal and external

communication of events, opportunities, activities, and accomplishments to all constituents of the

University. The purpose of this initiative is to more fully engage constituents with the University at all

levels. The proposal also recommends a variety of enabling technologies. Each proposed process and

technology are placed in a projected time frame for implementation.

This proposal also recommends staff positions for communication and web construction. The director of

communication is responsible for the process and the use of appropriate technology to facilitate all

communication. This will be a full time position within University Advancement. The webmaster would

be responsible for web content, authoring of pages, and integration with other University services.

Presidents Charge

In December 2008 an Ad Hoc Communications Committee was formed and charged with two primary

tasks:

1. Develop a top quality on-campus communication network that will inform the community ofcurrent events and convey the quality and value of a NGU education, and

2. Improve and enhance our website to be a dynamic user friendly portal to North GreenvilleUniversity

The committee was challenged to submit a one to three year proposal of ideas and costs to accomplish

these tasks, by the end of March.

Current Environment

Processes

Current communication processes are departmentally based. There is no regular formal or informal

coordination among departments to plan for or facilitate communication and cross-functional resources

are rarely leveraged to maximize the impact of communication. As a result, several issues continually

arise. Communication about important events is often too close to the actual event to allow for scheduling

complete audience response. Departments that are impacted by response to an event or activity do not


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have adequate time to prepare or respond. The target audience is not fully reached resulting in poor

attendance.

Culture

Cross-functional communication is not regularly practiced. Because the institution has not placed a

strong value on coordination across units, communication processes and planning tend to be

departmentally focused. Some major events, such as registration and check in, have seen some cross-

functional planning, but this planning is usually limited to activities that occur on the day of the event. A

cultural shift driven by institutional expectations is required for long to mid range planning for

communication to take place.

Technology

Current technologies that support internal and external communication are:

1. iModules content management system (NGU Website)a. alumni communityb. social networking linksc. event blocksd. news blockse. content blocksf. calendaringg. RSS feeds

2. Email through the use of groups3. Information Channel4.

I.R.I.S Emergency Response System

Limited communication is available through the announcement function on Blackboard and on the CAMS

Student and Faculty Portals, but this capability is not fully utilized.

Methodology

A group of faculty and administration was assembled by the President on December 9, 2008 to considerways to improve the internal and external communications of the University. Those present included Dr.Jimmy Epting, Dr. Don Dowless, Mr. Alex Miller, Mr. Andy Stevens, Dr. Linwood Hagin, Mr. ShurGopal, Mr. LaVerne Howell and Ms. Shelia Moore.

Dr. Dowless and Mr. Miller were asked to facilitate a University Committee to develop a proposalincluding ideas and costs that would take our current communication to the next level. The Presidentrequested this proposal be completed after the first of the year. Mr. Miller was appointed to chair thisgroup and a tentative date for completion of the first draft was set for April 1, 2009.

The Ad Hoc Communications Committee held its first meeting on Monday, January 19, 2009. Thoseattending the December 9th meeting, as mentioned except for the President were in attendance. During


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the initial committee discussions it became clear that in order to have a more balanced representation ofthe campus community others should be invited to join.

The second meeting, on January 26, included Andy Ray from Admissions, Billy Watson and Diane

Turner from Student Services and students Alex Reynolds, a junior Media Ministry major and Katie Maya junior History major. These meetings were held at open times on the class schedule to encourageparticipation of faculty, staff and students. Handouts and minutes from each meeting were kept.

On February 16, the committee was divided into two working groups; Campus Communication Networkwith Andy Stevens, LaVerne Howell, Alex Reynolds and Billy Watson chaired by Dr. Hagin and Websitedevelopment with Shur Gopal, Shelia Moore, Diane Turner, Dr. Dowless, Katie May, Andy Ray and AlexMiller Chaired by Paul Garrett. These groups worked independently over the next few weeks andreconvened to present their work to the full group on March 25.

Dr. Hagin and Mr. Garrett presented the work of their groups and discussion followed. At the end of thismeeting Hagin, Garrett, and Miller were asked to take these findings, develop the material into a draft

proposal format that included associated cost, and make a presentation to the full committee on April 1.

Recommendation

Process

A process for developing and delivering communication is needed as a cross-functional, business process.

This process should include coordination between producers of messages (stakeholders) and deliverers of

messages (channel owners), and be facilitated by a Communications Director. Working with stakeholders

and channel owners, the Communications Director owns the communications process, and takes a pro-active role in identifying, crafting and delivering communication both internally and externally.

The specific steps of the communications process include:

1. Stakeholders indentify communication needs as a by-product of their assigned duties at theUniversity, or in external activities that have an impact on University constituents.

2. Stakeholder works with the Communications Director and channel owners to develop acommunications plan. Key to this plan will be a clear purpose for the message, the audience to

which it applies, the timing of the message, the response desired, and the coordination of

resources for communication and response administration. The plan will include the following

elements

a. Purpose for the communicationb. Audience analysis and selectionc. Messaged. Channel selection and linkagese. Timing of communication with respect to event timingf. Desired response


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g. Response mechanismh. Resources available / requiredi. Evaluation of response

3. Determine alignment with institutional mission, purpose and core values; author these messagesif appropriate. Not every message must contain statements of purpose or core value statements.

However, each communication should be evaluated with respect to the institutions purpose and

core values. Communication to audiences that would benefit from knowledge of purpose and

core value should contain these messages based on the purpose of the communication and the

desired response.

4. Develop content following guidelines for communication appropriate to the channel used. Bestpractices can be established and documented to guide authors.

5. Develop and implement response mechanisms based on the desired response from the targetaudience. For example, if the communication is to high school prospects, a response may be an

application for admission. The communication should provide the response vehicle, or refer to

the location of the response vehicle; the on-line application portal.6. Execute communication through selected channels leveraging identified resources.7. Receive and process responses. Resources should be planned to process responses on a timely

basis. Coordination between departments will eliminate surprises and bottlenecks.

8. Execute follow-up. Follow-up may be required based on the type of communication. In theadmissions example, comparison of the audience list to the response list will identify those

requiring follow-up communication. A follow-up to those who responded may include a letter or

email of thanks, or an admissions packet.

9. Analyze the effectiveness of the response with respect to the goals. This analysis will help todetermine changes to the quality of the communication or to the process of audience and channel

selection.

Technology

While the communications process and the engagement of individuals and departments in the

communication effort are of primary importance, technology can play an effective enabling role if

carefully selected and properly implemented. This proposal calls for the consideration and

implementation of several key enabling technologies.

1. iModules community for students. Similar to the community established for alumni, the studentcommunity can play an important role in the on-line socialization of and communication to

students and prospects. Using connecting technologies available through iModules, this

community can be connected to existing social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, andTwitter among others. Research by the Pew Internet and American Life Project (2008) has

demonstrated the penetration of these social networks into the age groups primarily served by the

University. Leveraging these sites can provide direct and indirect communication channels to

students and prospects.

2. Information HubThe information hub is a conceptual component that may be rendered as a process, as technology,


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or both. Its purpose is to support the collection and distribution of information relative to

communication, messages to constituents, web site content, and audio/video media. The

committee proposes to use SharePoint as an intermediate solution as a communications team

collaboration site.

3. Web Portal Campus EAI has awarded a grant to the University to build and implement a webportal site, and provide five years of hosting services. This portal would provide constituents of

the University a single sign-on platform that consolidates all online activities and social

networking sites. This portal will be the platform that enables the online communication process.

4. Digital signage platform. A digital signage platform will provide scheduled communication viathe University network to monitors placed around campus, and potentially to faculty and staff

desktops. Programming will include static content (information channel) as well as on-demand

and live programming such as Chapel services, sports events, and live coverage of campus

activities. Displays would be placed in each building in high traffic areas.

5. Video / audio content platform for live and on-demand events. Distribution of live and on-demand events via the internet will require server technology for the archival and distribution ofthis content. Alternatives include on-site hosting as well as off-site hosting using the University

offering of iTunes (iTunesU).

6. Social networking site connections. On-line portals and communities implemented at NGU mustinclude the ability to connect to social networking sites that are used by constituents. These sites

include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and others. These connections are required to institute a

behavioral and cultural shift in our student population to use the University portal as the point of

entry for on-line activities. The process is expected to take three to five years to develop a

significant penetration into the student population as freshmen move through the system and

older students graduate.

7. On-line presence for ambassadors. Use ambassadors as active participants in recruiting byestablishing blog sites for students in each major discipline. Prospects can open on-lineconversations with students to get a better feel for being a student at NGU.

8. Web-based service delivery such as event reservations, on-line bill payment, and on-lineregistration. These capabilities are already part of CAMS and iModules. A project effort should

be started to establish procedures of implementation, communication to students, and processing.

Resources

The team feels strongly that an effective communications process, whether it is a process or a

combination of process and technology, will require full-time planning, implementation, and mentoring.

For that reason, we are proposing two additional full-time positions that identify the duties ofcommunication and web authoring. In addition, we propose a well defined program of student workers

and internships to assist in the day-to-day operation of the communications process.

These recommendations are as follows:


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1. Communications Director (see complete description in the Appendix A) The purpose of a Communications Director is to provide leadership for the University in

the areas of internal and external communication. This task includes creating,

implementing and continuous development of a comprehensive communication strategic

plan.

Duties of a Communications Director will include, but not be limited to:1) Coordinate communication between all departments2) Enhancement and full of use existing communication channels3) Development of additional communication channels4) Implementation, evaluation and continual updates of the comprehensive

communication plan

The Communications Director will report to the Vice President for UniversityAdvancement.

The Communications Director will be directly responsible for the University website as acommunication channel. This responsibility will include the use of the website forinternal communication between departments, employees and students. The website will

also be used for external communication between the University and prospective

students/parents, alumni and donors.

2. Webmaster (see complete description in the Appendix A) The purpose of a Webmaster is to coordinate the planning, maintenance, and accessibility

of web site content for all communication channels and departmental use.

Duties of a Webmaster will include, but not be limited to:1) Design and maintenance of the University website2) Creation of original content for the website3) Incorporation of departmental content into the website4) Utilization of all communication channels through the website5) Development of existing and additional technologies through the website

The Webmaster will report to the Communications Director or if that position is not filledto the Vice President for University Advancement.

The Webmaster will be responsible for the website and oversight of any associatedwebsites.

3. Student Internship and Work Study Program The purpose of a student intern(s) or work study students is to assist and learn from the

Communications Director and Webmaster.

Duties of a student intern or work study student would include, but not be limited to:1) Gathering content from University departments2) Writing and creating content for the website3) Testing procedures and software before implementation

A student intern or work study student would report to the Webmaster orCommunications Director. Interns may come from a variety of departments, such as

Mass Communication and Business. Work study students may be recruited from these

departments, or be recommended by the Financial Aid office.


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Definitions

1. Stakeholders are those individuals (both external and internal) that produce information,messages, and content or initiate activities and events that require communication. Stakeholders

will be responsible for engaging channel owners to plan and execute required communication.

2. Channel Owners are those individuals (both external and internal) that are responsible forauthoring and distributing content through their specific channel. Channel Owners will be

responsible for seeking out opportunities for communication, planning communication with

stakeholders, and executing on the delivery of the communication.

3. Channels are internal and external media through which information is communicated. Channelsavailable at NGU include:

Channels Channel Owner

Email Institutional

Skyliner Mass Communication

Alumni Magazine and other

alumni publications

Alumni Relations

Presidents Letter Presidents Office

WNGR Mass Communication

Vision 48 Mass Communication

Aurora Yearbook Mass Communication

Local mass media outlets Public Relations

Information channel Student Services

PO Box inserts / direct mail Institutional

Chapel announcements Campus Ministry

Classroom announcement Academic Support

RA network Student Services

IRIS Emergency Notification Campus Security


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On-campus signage Student Services

Off-campus signage Public Relations

Calendar Institutional

Syndicated feeds Public Relations

Social networking sites Institutional

CAMS Student Portal Registrar

CAMS Faculty Portal Academic Support

Blackboard Academic Support

4. Channel Linkages occur when the target audience is reachable by multiple channels. Linkagesalso occur when one channel is used to solicit response through another channel. For example, a

post card to alumni refers to a web site for additional information, and a web form or service to

facilitate response. It is the responsibly of channel owners and stakeholders to identify linkages.

5. Target audiences are a portion of the entire population of NGU constituents that will be interestedin a particular message. Channel owners and stakeholders are responsible for completing a target

audience analysis, and then determining the appropriate channels to select and link.

6. External Audiences include individuals and corporations that do not have a direct relationship tothe University. Examples are prospects, parents of prospects, news organizations, the local

community, and other interested parties.

7. Internal Audiences includes individuals that are directly associated with the University includingstudents, faculty, staff, board members, and alumni.

8. Response Mechanisms are processes and resources (people, technology) that are aligned tofacilitate a response from the target audience based on the communication. For example, if a

cultural event is announced to the community, a mechanism for capturing seat reservations is

desirable.

9. Core Value Messages are messages that communicate our core values. The messages are derivedfrom the institutional mission and purpose statement, more transitory messages that reflect the

thinking of the Board of Directors and Executive Council. For example, the message that NGU is

the best educational value in the southeast is a council driven core value message that is

particularly relevant to the current economic situation. This core value message should be

included in almost every communication to internal and external audiences.

10.TheInformation Hub is a conceptual representation of the function of the communicationdirector, as possibly assisted by technology. Its function is to receive, filter, and distribute

messages and content based on institutional criteria and target audience preferences.

11.SharePointis a team collaboration site that facilities communication and document sharing acrosscross-functional teams, or teams that are geographically disbursed. Developed by Microsoft,

Sharepoint Services is a free web site. Microsoft Office SharePoint Services is a low cost server


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that integrates with operational systems, such as CAMS and Dynamics, to provide context and

user based summary information for decision making purposes.

Other Processes

1. Weekly review of web content. This process will insure current and relevant content. Stale orstatic content will dissuade users from visiting sites a second or third time.

2. Use of social networking sites and blogs for informal communication.3. On-line presence for ambassadors4. Focus groups and testing teams Focus groups and testing teams will be instituted to provide

feedback on the usefulness and relevance of communication distributed by the school. These

teams will provide valuable information about content, navigation and usability of the web site.

Team members will represent students, faculty, staff, alumni, directors, high school

administration, parents, and prospects.

Cost

The costs presented with this proposal constitute range estimates only. Planning for the implementation

of specific technologies will include research to identify alternatives and solicit bids. Since technology

implementation will be accomplished over a number of years, it will be more appropriate to develop

specific current costs prior to implementation.

1. Webmaster $40,000 to 50,000 based on experience2. Communications Director $40,000 to 60,000 based on experience3. iModules Student Community $15,000 to 17,0004.

Digital Signage Platform $40,000 to 120,000 depending on functionality

5. Video delivery platform $20,000 to 50,000 based on functionality/capacity6. On-going costs

o Salaries and student worker programo Maintenance and support for software and hardware at an estimated 15% of initial cost

per year.

Benefits

Recruitingo Communication protocols will support efforts to make high school students and parents

aware of the University and its core ideals. The mission is to get our message to this

target audience in the most effective way.

o Protocols will also support follow-up with prospects that show interest, and applicants.Well defined procedures will facilitate the process of matriculation, mitigating procedural

and documentary obstacles for the student.

Donor engagement


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o Information about events and activities sponsored by and hosted by the University willincrease participation and engagement

o Increased engagement will provide additional opportunities for donations to theUniversity.

Student Engagemento Students that are offered opportunities to participate in University events will feel more

connected to the University

o Educational and academic quality will improve as instruction extends beyond theclassroom.

Retention and completiono The University student community will engage the student more fully. Research has

shown that students who are engaged with a school on more than an academic level

(cross-discipline activities, social opportunities, intramural, faculty and staff

relationships) tend to move to other schools less frequently. Higher retention translates to

higher completion rates.

Issues

Culture A cultural change is necessary to support a campus-wide process of communication.Our current culture has a departmental focus rather than an institutional focus.

Cost The cost of implementation will be a concern given current economics. However, it isconceivable that a well implemented program in Admissions and University Advancement will

pay dividends in recruitment and donations.

Alternatives

Process only. An implementation of process without technology expenditures will have somebenefit. Implementation of process first and technology later supporting the process is a worthy

implementation approach to mitigate the impact of large-scale change.

Fill one full-time position for both the Communications Director and webmaster. The emphasiswould be on communications and less on the webmaster role, back filling the webmaster duties

with student interns.

Part-time Communication Director A more conservative approach that would limit the activitiesand processes implemented. Limited benefit without reaching full potential could be derived in

this approach.

Student worker driven process Less of the process change would be implemented, andeffectiveness would be varied from year to year based on our ability to staff these positionsadequately.

Implementation Plan

1. Near term this yeara. Develop and implement the communications process.b. Hire a Communication Director


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c. Establish student internship program2. One to Two Years

a. Hire a webmasterb. Implement a student community in iModulesc. Implement the web portald. Implement an audio/video distribution platform

3. Three to Five Yearsa. Re-engineer web siteb. Implement Digital Signage Infrastructure


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APPENDIX A

Director of Communications/North Greenville University

North Greenville University seeks a Director of Communications to provide leadership in the strategicdirection and overall management of a comprehensive marketing and communication program includingthe University's marketing, public information, communications, print and graphics, and websitemanagementfor both internal and external communications. The director will promote NGU's imageacross all media to strengthen its stature on a national and international basis as well as advise campusexecutives on internal and external communications strategies.

Qualifications

A minimum of two years experience in media relations, public relations or communications in acorporate, non-profit, or educational setting. The ideal candidate will demonstrate an open, participatory,team-oriented management style, initiative, flexibility and a willingness to work as a team player in anorganizational environment. The candidate must be able to establish rapport with people from diversebackgrounds. Ideal candidates will possess a demonstrated interest in and familiarity with highereducation, is a team player with excellent follow-through, time management and attention to detail.Exceptional interpersonal, writing, organizational, leadership, and management skills are essential. Thecandidate will also be a champion for our cause and be able to motivate people individually and as a

group. A Bachelors degree in a communication-related or business degree required; Masters preferred.

Job Duties

Develop and implement a comprehensive communications plan, as well as a strategy forevaluating the results of the plan.

Provide coordination of style and design elements to present a unified voice with printadvertising, publications, and other electronic media.

Evaluate and make recommendations on the website. Coordinate with all other departments on campus. Produce, test, and maintain interactive forms and related Web pages supporting the University's

advertising initiatives, prospective student inquiries, event registrations, and other Web-basedinteractive communications.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Thorough knowledge of feature writing, magazine production, procedures and practices, andcommunication and dissemination techniques and methods.

Knowledge of marketing principles and practices, especially as applied in a university setting. Knowledge of current and emerging trends and principles in branding, web design, and social

networking.

Knowledge of design as a communication tool; understanding of how design supports keymessages and effective communication overall.


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Thorough knowledge of the English language including rules of composition, grammar,punctuation, and spelling.

Excellent oral and written communication skills. General knowledge of development and campaign communications, publications and marketing

techniques. Ability to effectively present ideas and concepts in written and presentation formats as

appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Expert knowledge of software applications such as: word processing, spreadsheet, databasemanagement and design tools. Requires knowledge of Web trends, as well as an understandingof the role these technologies play in overall communications.

Ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintainthem over time.

Ability to work with representatives from public and private entities and handle potentiallysensitive situations.

Ability to observe, receive, and obtain information from all relevant sources; analyze informationand evaluate results to choose and present the best solution and solve problems.

Ability to keep management informed and aware of public attitudes and the concerns of the manyorganizations, groups and stakeholders.

Ability to perform accurately in a detail-oriented environment, handles multiple work priorities,organize and plan work and projects, and meet deadlines.

Must possess excellent customer service and public relations skills. Experience designing dynamic data driven websites and Graphical User Interfaces is required as

is familiarity with web design and publication software.

Excellent project management, organizational and time management skills, ability to handlemultiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.

Experience with executive level office management. Ability to read and interpret policies, procedures, and reports. Ability to work independently as well as be part of a team in a fast paced academic environment

while maintaining strong customer service skills.

Flexible and able to respond to opportunities swiftly. Remain current with popular culture and trends.


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Job Description Webmaster

The Webmasters role is to coordinate the planning, maintenance, and accessibility of Web site content in

a way that ensures the consistency of the Web sites look and feel. This individual is also responsible for

creating some original Web site content. Understanding of a variety of Web development languages is

required.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

Prepare a long-term plan for Web site development and presence, including standards andguidelines for content, based on business goals and input from stakeholders.

Co-ordinate with Web site departments and content creators from across the organization. Liaise with systems experts on hardware and software issues that affect the Web site and its

availability.

Assess and itemize costs for Web site enhancements and modifications. Develop, implement, and adhere to a regular Web site maintenance policies and procedures,

including end user content change request forms and posted update/maintenance schedules, toensure site accuracy and timeliness.

Develop, implement, and enforce Web site appropriate use and privacy policies. Assess competing Web sites as regards content, look and feel, and functionality, and make

improvement recommendations to our organizations site.

Acquisition & Deployment

Manage the acquisition and ongoing maintenance of the organizations domain names with theappropriate registrars.

Track and evaluate new standards, technologies and trends in Web site development, design, anddelivery.

Assess, recommend, and purchase Web authoring, development, and publishing tools as required.

Operational Management

Create and maintain a consistent Web site architectural structure.


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Program HTML pages and upload them onto the site. Ensure a consistent look and feel across the Web site by promoting uniform fonts, formatting,

icons, images, and layout, and creating appropriate templates to assist content authors.

Find, diagnose, and fix Web site problems, including broken links (both internal and external),typographical errors, and formatting inconsistencies.

Identify, implement, and manage Web site presence and promotion opportunities, such as searchengine registration and establishing pointer links from other relevant Web sites.

Recommend and implement enhancements and modifications to the Web site. Create and maintain an archive for Web site templates and images. Create and maintain a reference archive for older versions of the Web site and its content. Participate in the development and integration of graphical and multimedia components into the

Web site, including audio and video, with due regard paid to appropriate compression techniques,resolution, sizes, color maps, and depths to ensure high quality and speed of delivery.

Ensure sensitive and/or classified organizational information is not inadvertently posted to theWeb site.

Set and enforce compatibility and interoperability standards that ensure site accessibility for userswith older browser versions as well as low-speed connections.

Set and enforce standards that ensure site accessibility for users with disabilities or impairments. Monitor, analyze, and report on Web site traffic. Receive and respond to all e-mail messages for the Webmaster in a timely and courteous fashion. Create and maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for Web site users. Analyze, report on, and take action on Web site user feedback. Create original copy for Web site features where required.

Position Requirements

Formal Education & Certification

College diploma or university degree in the field of computer science and/or 2 years equivalentwork experience.

Knowledge & Experience

Good knowledge of Web technologies, protocols, and tools. Advanced programming experience with HTML. Strong understanding of other Internet programming languages, including CSS, Java, JavaScript,

and ASP..

Working knowledge of Web authoring, development, and publishing tools, including []. Strong understanding of communications, marketing, and customer service principles. Experience with computer graphic and multimedia design. Comprehensive experience with all aspects of Web site content management. Sensitivity to browser compatibility issues.


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Hands-on experience with Web-database integration and a range of database platforms, includingMySQL and MS SQL.

Experience in gathering, analyzing, and meeting business requirements. Understanding of basic project management principles. Good understanding of the organizations goals and objectives. Excellent knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws.

Personal Attributes

Excellent written and oral communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to conduct research into emerging Web technologies and programming languages. Ability to present ideas in business-friendly and user-friendly language. Highly self motivated and directed. Keen attention to detail. Good analytical and problem-solving abilities. Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment. Very strong customer service orientation. Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

Work Conditions

On-call availability.

Sitting for extended periods of time. Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, power tools, and to handle

other computer components.

Lifting and transporting of moderately heavy objects, such as computers and peripherals.


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APPENDIX B

What can we do to use the web site effectively for external and internal communication?

Perform a weekly review of content on web site (text / pictures) to keep current.o This must be a high priority activityo Delegated to departments

Departmental focuso Coordinate with webmaster

Navigation Branding and standards Institutional focus

Connect to social networking sites to appeal to all audienceso Issue: Inertia to adopt another siteo Issue: Cultural change needs to occur to increase use of NGU community site / NGU

emailo Market site to appropriate audience; those likely to participate in social networko Establish a community for students

One stop / single sign on Issue: Numerous competitive sites; establish motivation for connecting

Establish a portal to consolidate social web sites with NGUo Single sign ono Email consolidationo Activity alerts

Create mission trip blogso Use to follow missions teams and individualso Information on who and whato Trip pictures with geo-tag mashupso Cultural / procedural issue to coordinate with webo Valuable for use with promotions and recruiting

Get to know an ambassador / get to know a student siteo Blog or emailo For recruiting / prospectso Get the right people (ambassadors, RAs, student governmento Potential for negatives (trolls) (should there be an approval process for submissions?)o Student / ambassador biographies

Chat link Blog link Submit a question

o Possibly Blog the President Create a focus group with persons representing all audiences to provide on-going feedback on the

siteo Internal focus group

Students/ faculty/ staffo External

Parents, both NGU and high school


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Directors Alumni High school counselors

o Introduce new ideaso

Feedback on current content / navigation / constructiono Testing the site for navigability / functionality / actionable items / access to information

This week @ NGUo Develop logoo Maintain current weekly informationo Include all student contact areaso Calendar informationo Drill-down for more informationo Departmental activity feeds central page / calendar

Deliver more services such as on-line registration, bill payment, housing applicationo Electronic signatures for document authenticationo Move toward paperless distributiono

Web enabled all matriculation processes Person required to own the site Virtual tour includes clips of events; action oriented to communicate characteristic of being on

campuso Use internal resources (Mass Communication internship or work study)o Should be an incremental process of small in-context clips

Major locations Specific dorms Public areas Library Classrooms Student center Events (chapel, sports, mission trips)o Students reporting on students

o Pacing; Focus on quality, not speed of deliveryo Need to answer the hosting question (iTunes U?; Video server)


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Connections Project Proposa

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APPENDIX C

The Centralized Information Gathering andDistribution System

Summary

In this model, each department/news generating organization becomes a stakeholder. The stakeholders generate their

information and appoint a person in their organization to be responsible for passing that information, accurately and

timely to the Info Hub.

The Information Hub then takes that information and (1) distributes it across the different internal and external mediums

across the campus, (2) provides a universal, filterable global calendar, and (3) provides a raw feed of all information

passed to it by the stakeholders directly to the people. While distributing it to the media, the hub also prioritizes

different information and directs certain information to specific media that will best reach the intended audience. The hub

also monitors the information database for errors and abnormalities as well as expediently correcting such problems.

The internal and external media then monitors what is being fed to them by the hub (both the raw feed and the directed

information) and passes it along to their subscribers.

The people finally receive the information that was obtained from the raw feed and/or the media.


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Example

.

1. Stakeholder: Organizations and individuals producing information that People need to knowInstitutional Fit

Does it fit within the institutions mission and purpose? Should core value messages be included?

The stakeholders send their information to and have their information gathered by the Info Hub.

2. Info Hub: The information center of the campus that receives, then redistributes all information.a. Functions:

i. An information hunter-gathererii. An information monitor

iii. An information flagger/status assignerb. Interfaces: Syndicated Feeds, Global Calendar


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c. Analyzes target audienceTarget Audience

Objective or goal of the communication?o Recruitmento Student involvemento Advancemento Academic and administrative processeso Alumni engagement

Who are the primary and secondary audiences?o High School Students / prospectso Faculty and/or staffo Students (groups?)o Alumnio Donorso Community

Information then travels to the

3. Internal and External Media: The people that consolidate the information for the average user.a. Internal Communication

Determine the communication channel(s) to use based on audience and desired responseo Emailo Skylinero Alumni magazineo Presidents lettero WNGRo Information Channelo Box inserts

o Chapel announcemento Classroom announcemento RA networko Web siteo IRIS emergency responseo Signage

Determine how channels should be linked together to increase the impact and coverage of themessage

Anticipate the response by providing multiple ways for recipients to respondo Emailo Letter / formo Phone callo Website form or action

b. External Communication Determine departments or resources that can be leveraged to promote the event or capture the

event for future reference Coordinate with impacted departments for awareness / preparation for the response. Develop web site content to support the message and process the response. Collected and processing of fees Plan the timing so that all selected channels have time to respond


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Connections Project ProposaFinally, the information reaches

4. People: Insiders and Outsidersa. Insiders: People on or involved with the campus, reached through internal means.b.

Outsiders: People off campus, reached through external means.Timing

Include time for plan and communication development Include time for audience response

comm final proposal

Documents