Media Relations Policy

Purpose: To ensure accurate, timely, strategic, and coordinated communication with external media outlets, and to reduce the risk of conflicting communications, reputational harm, or legal and operational risk, all official media outreach conducted on behalf of the university shall be centralized through Creative and Strategic Communication and Intercollegiate Athletics. Those two offices reserve the authority to determine appropriate processes and timelines for official media outreach.

Applies to: This policy applies to all university employees, units, departments, auxiliary organizations, and official university-affiliated entities communicating in an official institutional capacity.

Policy:

All proactive media outreach on behalf of Pittsburg State University, including news releases, media advisories, event announcements, interview coordination, pitching stories, public statements, crisis communication, and responses to media inquiries related to university operations, programs, employees, students, research, or events, must be coordinated:

• For Intercollegiate Athletics, through the Associate Athletics Director for Communication
• For all other matters, through the Director of Media Relations in Creative and Strategic Communication

University employees, departments, colleges, programs, centers, institutes, and affiliated organizations may not independently distribute official university news or statements to external media.

Responsibilities

Creative and Strategic Communication is responsible for:

• Serving as the university’s official point of coordination for media relations and outreach for anything non-Intercollegiate Athletics
• Developing and distributing official university news releases, coverage opportunities, alerts, and media statements
• Connecting media with subject matter experts and university representatives
• Ensuring institutional messaging aligns with university priorities, branding, legal obligations, and crisis communication protocols
• Advising campus partners on media strategy and timing
• Arranging for media access on campus

Intercollegiate Athletics is responsible for:

• Serving as the university’s official point of coordination for media relations and outreach for Intercollegiate Athletics
• Developing and distributing official athletics news releases, coverage opportunities, alerts, and media statements
• Connecting media with coaches, student-athletes, and athletics administration
• Arranging for media access to athletics events

University employees remain free to speak with media in a personal capacity or within the scope of academic freedom; however, employees should clearly indicate when they are not speaking on behalf of the university.

Example statement: The opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Pittsburg State University.

EXCEPTIONS

This policy does not prohibit employees from engaging with media as subject matter experts related to their scholarship, teaching, or professional expertise. However, employees are required to notify Creative and Strategic Communication or Intercollegiate Athletics (if about Intercollegiate Athletics) in advance of media engagement involving their university role or affiliation.

CONSEQUENCES

Failure to comply with the policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination in accordance with university policy and any applicable labor agreements.