Office of the Provost

Faculty and Unclassified Staff Handbook Chapter 1 -- General Policies

Public Relations of the University

The University's public relations program seeks to establish and extend the public's awareness and understanding of the institution, its purposes, methods, and personnel with a view toward achieving broad advancement and support of higher education in Kansas. To implement this program, a diversity of activities affecting most of the University's publics is carried on. Students, present and future, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, legislators, townspeople, teachers, and other segments of society are included in these publics. Each member of the faculty, administration, and staff as a representative of the institution plays a vital role in its public relations program.

It is every faculty member's responsibility to assist in promoting good public relations which enhance the quality of education available at the University. While it is necessary to have designated leadership roles in public relations, the job cannot be performed by one or even a few of the faculty. It is a team responsibility and every person employed at the University is expected to perform acceptably in this area. In order to insure the quality of internal and external public relations required for the best performance of the faculty, an effective and democratic internal communications system is absolutely necessary. This calls for prompt replies whether by memorandum, telephone, or personal contact, in all matters of routine communication and especially in the processing of letters and inquiries from off campus. It is the policy of the administration to process all mail within three days unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. Hospitality and civility should be extended not only to colleagues but also and most especially to students and visitors to the campus. Staff members under state civil service should be encouraged to process all inquiries courteously and promptly, learn how to handle telephone messages properly and refer messages to proper offices and personnel. Ideas and suggestions on ways and means of improving public relations for the University and especially on cementing relations with the local community and our wider community of western Kansas are welcome and should be transmitted to the proper offices for action and implementation.

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