University Operations – Administrative
| EWU Policy 201-03 | Authority: EWU Board of Trustees |
| Effective: December 9, 2022 | Proponent: Vice President for Advancement |
Purpose: This policy prescribes standards and guidelines related to external communications of the University.
History: This policy revises and supersedes a previous version dated December 3, 2013. It was approved by the Board of Trustees on December 9, 2022.
Applicability: This policy applies to all employees of Eastern Washington University.
1. General
The purpose of this policy is to guide university employees in matters related to communication with the public and the news media in order to maintain a consistent public presence and to communicate a consistent message while minimizing the possibility of misinformation or incomplete information being disseminated. This policy applies to all forms of external mass communication, including marketing and advertising materials, use of university logos, and any communications with the news media. Athletics employees should follow their department’s established protocols and processes regarding media relations.
2. News Media
The university and the public are best served when Eastern Washington University (EWU) employees provide accurate information to the news media.
The Director of Communications and Media Relations is the designated spokesperson for the university and is responsible for writing and processing all university-related news and feature material that is distributed to the media, scheduling all news conferences and coordinating all media requests.
While university employees may speak to the media about their specific expertise, they may only speak on behalf of the university when specifically authorized to do so.
Employees may respond to media inquiries with their personal opinions or comments, but must make it clear to the media that their comments are personal and that they are not speaking on behalf of the university.
University employees who will be speaking with the news media should contact the Director of Communications and Media Relations for advice and guidance. Guidelines for communicating with the news media are available through the Division of University Relations (Marketing & Communications) website.
If an employee is contacted by a reporter for a story – regardless of the topic – they should notify the media relations office before proceeding.
While faculty have the academic freedom to discuss their expertise with the media, notifying the media relations office prior to an interview is helpful for planning and preparation.
Individuals who do not wish to speak with the media should ask the media relations director to do so on their behalf.
3. Marketing, Publications and Printing
- Approval. All printing projects, display and electronic advertising, camera-ready art and copy aimed at external audiences must be approved by Marketing & Communications (MarCom) prior to production and distribution.
- Grammar and Usage. MarCom oversees grammatical standards for all materials, print and online, produced on behalf of EWU regardless of the audience. It is important to conform to one style to promote consistency.
- Institutional Identity. All external publications, advertising and materials must reflect EWU’s identity guidelines as outlined in the EWU Identity Standards Guide available through the MarCom website.