This document summarizes a panel discussion on marketing student affairs on campus. The panel included administrators from Georgia Tech's division of student affairs and a representative from USA Today. They discussed communicating effectively with internal audiences, leveraging research to understand student needs, and the benefits of a strategic marketing approach for student affairs. Key topics included outdated communication models, the importance of two-way engagement, examples of research at Georgia Tech, and lessons learned from USA Today's work with college campuses.
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Marketing Ourselves On Campus (Student Affairs)
1. Marketing Ourselves
on Campus
2011 Council on Student Affairs
Summer Meeting
Association of Public and
Land-Grant Universities
2. Panelists
• William D. Schafer, Ph.D. (Moderator)
Vice President for Student Affairs
Georgia Institute of Technology
• Michael L. Warden, APR
Vice President Communications and Marketing
Georgia Institute of Technology
• Rachael Pocklington
Communications Officer Parents Program
Georgia Institute of Technology
• Kathleen Pesha
Director of Higher Education Programs, USA Today
2
3. Marketing Ourselves On Campus
• State of communications & marketing
• Benefits of Marketing Student Affairs:
Marketing 101
• What we’re doing in Student Affairs
@GeorgiaTech
• What USA Today research tells us
• Discussion & Questions
3
5. Communicating with internal audiences
• Observations:
– Higher education does not invest in internal
communications at the same level/priority as it does
in external communications
– Faculty and staff communications tend to be the
focus of internal communication programs
– Student communication lumped in with more general
faculty/staff communications …. or left to “student
media” outlets
– Mass emails still the dominant form of
communicating directly with students
5
6. Communication models have changed
• Old model : one-way/hierarchical/mass communication
– Newspapers/newsletters
– Memos/e-memos and “blast” emails
– Flyers/Posters/Brochures
– Websites
• Campus clients still rely on outdated/ineffective modes
of communication with stakeholders ….
– Same content “pushed” out to mass audiences
• Audiences ignoring old model mass messages
• New model: engagement (social media/networks)
6
8. Finding what works …. research
• Two-way conversation is critical
– Forging successful relationships with students/parents
– Developing effective programs and desired experiences
– Delivering on our educational mission
• Systematic ways to listen to the voice of the customer –
through planful research!
– Ensures this 2-way exchange
– Ensures decisions are informed beyond the anecdotal
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9. Research @ Georgia Tech …
• Student Experience Study (overall satisfaction)
• Parents Program Surveys (feedback on program
initiatives)
• Brand Perceptions Studies (perceptions of brand
strengths, Georgia Tech differentiators, resonance
of brand promise statements)
• Student Communications Research (feedback on
student-managed newspaper/radio station)
• Program development research (Sophomore
Experience)
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11. Examples: Research Insights (Content)
Understanding topics for student communications emphasis
Ease of Locating Information versus Interest in Information
100%
Maintain Priorities Met
90%
Athletic events
Ease of Locating Information (6-10 Rating)
Academic procedures
80%
Tutoring/academic support
programs
Financial aid
Job opportunities
70% Job preparation
Social events
Cultural events
Lectures/guest speakers
Comm service/service
60% learning Volunteering
Undergraduate research
opportunities
Research by faculty/students
Mentorship
50%
Available channels for
offering feedback
Non-Priority Focus Efforts Here
40%
60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%
Interest in Information (6-10 Rating)
11
12. Examples: Research Insights (Delivery)
A positive idea would be to attempt to reduce campus and departmental
messages to a digest of 1 per day, with solitary emails reserved for things of
importance to all on the list.
I believe there are too many different websites for services, academics, etc.
and that they should be consolidated to a single place or a few places.
Have one portal that all information is shared in – we have T-Square, Oscar,
Buzzport, the main website, all subsites, etc. – try to consolidate it all or at
least have a consistent look and feel with links to all major sites.
Weekly forums with faculty, administrators, alumni and students (not student
representatives, but regular students) about what works and what needs to be
changed and how the Institute can be improved.
Access to a calendar with all GT events and activities in one place.
12
13. Research Insights (Student Media)
Content
More discussion of technical advancements and significant research taking place at GT. Also keep
in mind that graduate students make up about a third of the student body. Keep them in mind when
selecting and writing your articles.
Talk about more national and world news issues; as college students, I feel like we are very isolated
in our GT bubble, so we need to learn more about what is going on beyond our campus.
Listing of jobs (internships/co-op/full-time) around campus/off campus
Distribution
Make it more readily available. I never know where it is.
Like the Daily Digest, an electronic version sent directly to my email…
Social media updates for breaking news
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15. Need for a Student Communicator
• Added to Internal Communications team in 2007
• Focus: Make the Georgia Tech brand more
accessible to students
– Develop
communica/ons
tools
that
form,
direct,
and
engage
students
in
the
Georgia
Tech
brand
– Develop
student
engagement
strategies
for
Ins/tute-‐level
ini/a/ves
– Consult
with
departments
and
student
organiza/ons
on
student
engagement
– Increase
consistency
and
relevance
in
the
messages
and
mediums
developed
around
student
engagement
15
16. Student Communicator Responsibilities
• Identify, write and track student stories (academic,
extracurricular or social) for existing vehicles to
enhance relevance to students
• Gauge student perspective and opinions on campus
issues in student-focused settings (SGA meetings,
one-on-ones with students)
– Lend perspective to Institute projects and
decisions
• Communicate regularly with staff across campus to
learn of upcoming student opportunities
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17. • Meet one-on-one with students in leadership roles
to build relationships and share ideas and
information
• Provide mentorship/assistance on various
communications (from adding a calendar event to
reviewing proposals/communications plans)
• Capture snapshot of student activity across campus
to provide students with ideas and opportunities for
collaboration
• Identify students to represent the Institute both
internally and externally
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19. Benefits of Marketing Student Affairs
• Improve the student experience
– Build affinity toward the Institute
• Recruit and retain highly desirable students
• Increase program awareness and participation
– Reach the elusive middle student
• Generate awareness and build credibility among
campus colleagues
• Increase funding opportunities
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21. Student Affairs: Marketing 101
STUDENTS
High
Involvement
Prospective First-year Fourth-year Graduating
Low
Involvement
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22. Student Affairs: Marketing 101
• People
– Understand your audiences and their information
needs
• Programs
– Know your programs and how they complement your
mission
• Purpose
– Solidify your value proposition
• Plan
– Develop objectives and a supportive plan
– Dedicate resources to implementation
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23. Student Affairs: Marketing 101
• Collaborative effort between
Office of Communications
and Marketing and students
to promote the Student
Experience Survey
campaign
• Authentic feel gives
credibility and improves
participation rates
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24. Division of Student Affairs at Georgia Tech
• Strategic planning process to support the Institute s
strategic plan
– Updating marketing and communications plan
• Partnering with campus constituents
– Office of Undergraduate Admission
– Office of Communications and Marketing
• Leveraging touch-points to reach audiences
– Events: recruitment, orientation, convocation,
graduation
– Media: print and electronic
– Word of mouth: students, parents, faculty, staff
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26. USA Today College
Take a collaborative approach to understanding the needs of our
customers through effective partnerships and ongoing assessment
Immerse ourselves in our clients’ business and processes so we can
more fully define the needs of all key players on campus: students,
faculty and administration
Established The Collegiate Readership Program in 1997 at Penn State
University by the recommendation of President, Dr. Graham Spanier
- Now, 450 programs active nationally
Our objective is to continue to collaborate, assess and learn in order
to develop new products and services that meet your ultimate news
and information needs
26
27. Students
Gather feedback through various outlets:
- In-person surveys conducted on campus
- Class projects (Penn State, Ohio State)
- Direct interviews with students
- Facebook Advisory Group
- Intern feedback
- Focus groups
Cannot answer a direct question, such as “what do you want…”
More effective to ask questions that assess their behavior
Consistent feedback gathered despite varied assessment methods
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28. Faculty
Do not like to be “trained” or “talked down to”
Must see a relevance for better receptiveness
Don’t try to be “all things to all people”
- Break the message down by curriculum area
Rather than presenting at a general faculty luncheon,
invest the extra time to connect with Chairs
individually
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29. Additional Takeaways
When marketing to individual groups on or off
campus, it is most effective to go straight to the
source for effective feedback
- Consult your SGA, student marketing clubs,
etc. for help
- Ask innovative faculty members for direct
feedback/suggestions
Use social media to have a conversation and gain
feedback
- www.usatodaycollege.com: “For students, by
students”
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31. Discussion Topics
• Given the state of communications in student affairs, are
you effectively reaching your audiences?
– What are some of your successes?
– What are some of your challenges/failures?
• Describe your planning process
– What are your objectives?
– How do you assess?
• Are your investments in communications generating a
satisfactory return?
• What have you learned from planning and implementing
a communications & marketing plan?
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32. Contacts
• william.schafer at vpss.gatech dot edu
• michael.warden at gatech dot edu
• rachael.pocklington at vpss.gatech dot edu
• Kpesha at usatoday dot com
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