Media Policy
Introduction
The University of the Incarnate Word Office of Communications and Brand Marketing (OCM), has primary responsibility for media relations at UIW. The responsibilities of the office in this area include:
- Publicizing the University in the media
- Finding faculty and staff members to comment as expert sources, and
- Coordinating and/or responding to matters related to crisis or emergencies
Faculty and Staff Response to Media Calls
When faculty and staff members are asked to comment or provide information on an institutional question or an issue that relates to the entire institution, the reporter should be referred to the Office of Communications and Brand Marketing. OCM will then work to refer the reporter to the appropriate source for comment.
When a member of the news media contacts a faculty or staff member to comment on a topic that is within an employee’s area of expertise (e.g., about a faculty member’s academic research or area of academic specialization), the employee should refer the media contact to OCM at (210) 829-6001 or by e-mail at PR@uiwtx.edu to coordinate the interview. In addition, if the news media plan to take photos or video images of a faculty or staff member on campus or of the campus, OCM must be contacted to coordinate the process.
If the faculty or staff member prefers to give some thought to the questions before answering, or if she/he has questions about the interview and how to respond, the OCM recommends the employee take the reporter’s phone number, inquire about the reporter’s deadline, and forward the information to the Media and Public Relations Manager to coordinate. Faculty or staff faced with this situation may then contact OCM. The Office will work with the news organization to gain more information about the reporter, the angle the story is likely to take, other stories the reporter may be researching or writing at the time, and any other background information that may be helpful in advance of the interview. While media representatives often work under deadlines, they sometimes can email questions in advance, and a few may be willing to read direct quotes back to a source. For UIW student journalists, the University requires written questions be supplied to the University spokesperson at the time of the interview requests.
Faculty or staff members should always contact OCM prior to talking with a reporter about the employee’s area of expertise. It is very important that OCM be notified immediately after the faculty or staff member is contacted. OCM monitors and tracks the progress of all UIW - related media coverage in order to help reporters find sources and gather facts. Knowing to whom a reporter has talked will assist in the tracking process and allows the Office to provide the reporter with all pertinent information to achieve the best possible outcomes. In addition, an archive of published news stories about UIW is maintained by the OCM Office.
The Office of Communications and Brand Marketing also provides media training for members of the University prior to interviews. If a faculty or staff member is scheduled for an interview with media and does not have prior media interview experience, the Media and Public Relations Manager will schedule a media training session with the faculty/staff member.
Athletics
No interviews related to athletics may be conducted with any student-athlete, coaches or department administrators without first contacting the Athletic Communications by email at uiwathletics@uiwtx.edu or at 210-829-2722. However, interviewing a student-athlete in a non-athletic capacity – that is, a general student at a general student event – is OK.Student Media Guidelines
In addition to all the above, the following rules and guidelines are set in place by the UIW Office of Communications and Brand Marketing for members of UIW student media who wish to cover the University and needing to interview senior leadership -- a member of the President’s Cabinet or Provost’s Dean Council.
- No interviews may be conducted unless first scheduled through OCM and the Media and Public Relations Manager.
- Questions should be submitted along with the interview request.
- If a student reporter plans to cover a University event in an official media capacity, including graduation or “Light the Way,” the Media and Public Relations Manager should be notified ahead of time of such intent.
- Unless advised otherwise, if a student reporter plans to attend a smaller event held by a Student Organization in an official media capacity, the Media and Public Relations Manager do not need to be notified ahead of time.
- Student media is expected to always conduct themselves in a professional manner (in the e-mailed interview request, before the interview, during the interview, etc.)
- Student media, like all media sources, are expected to report accurately and honestly, avoiding inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions.
- Breaking news does happen and OCM will work with UIW student media if interviews are needed immediately. However, faculty and other UIW employees and senior leadership should be given an appropriate amount of time to respond to requests for interviews.
- OCM is always available to UIW student media to coordinate interviews or answer questions needed to conduct a story.
Student Media Advisory Board
Co- Chairs: UIW Media & PR Manager and Chair of the UIW Communications Dept.
The role of the Student Media Advisory Board at the University of the Incarnate Word is to assist and advise student media leaders, the Dean of the School of Media and Design and the Office of the Provost in overseeing the operations of student media.
The authority of the board is derived from a delegation of responsibility by the Office of the Provost. The board is overseen by the Dean of the School of Media and Design, the director of the Communication Arts Dept. and the Director of the Office of Communications and Brand Marketing.
Members of the board include the Dean of the School of Media and Design, the UIW Media and Public Relations Manager, the Director of the Communication Arts Dept, two student media faculty, and the student editors/directors of The Logos, KUIW and UIWtv.
OCM is available to help student media in an advisory capacity. However, the primary advisers are in the School of Media and Design, particularly the Department of Communication Arts, for the Logos student newspaper, KUIW radio and UIWtv stations
UIW Social Media Policy
For information on UIW Social Media please visit:
https://www.uiw.edu/policy/communications/social-media-policy.html
Policy effective: October 1, 2021
When faculty and staff members are asked to comment or provide information on an institutional question or an issue that relates to the entire institution, the reporter should be referred to the Office of Communications and Brand Marketing. OCM will then work to refer the reporter to the appropriate source for comment.
When a member of the news media contacts a faculty or staff member to comment on a topic that is within an employee’s area of expertise (e.g., about a faculty member’s academic research or area of academic specialization), the employee should refer the media contact to OCM at (210) 829-6001 or by e-mail at PR@uiwtx.edu to coordinate the interview. In addition, if the news media plan to take photos or video images of a faculty or staff member on campus or of the campus, OCM must be contacted to coordinate the process.
If the faculty or staff member prefers to give some thought to the questions before answering, or if she/he has questions about the interview and how to respond, the OCM recommends the employee take the reporter’s phone number, inquire about the reporter’s deadline, and forward the information to the Media and Public Relations Manager to coordinate. Faculty or staff faced with this situation may then contact OCM. The Office will work with the news organization to gain more information about the reporter, the angle the story is likely to take, other stories the reporter may be researching or writing at the time, and any other background information that may be helpful in advance of the interview. While media representatives often work under deadlines, they sometimes can email questions in advance, and a few may be willing to read direct quotes back to a source. For UIW student journalists, the University requires written questions be supplied to the University spokesperson at the time of the interview requests.
Faculty or staff members should always contact OCM prior to talking with a reporter about the employee’s area of expertise. It is very important that OCM be notified immediately after the faculty or staff member is contacted. OCM monitors and tracks the progress of all UIW - related media coverage in order to help reporters find sources and gather facts. Knowing to whom a reporter has talked will assist in the tracking process and allows the Office to provide the reporter with all pertinent information to achieve the best possible outcomes. In addition, an archive of published news stories about UIW is maintained by the OCM Office.
The Office of Communications and Brand Marketing also provides media training for members of the University prior to interviews. If a faculty or staff member is scheduled for an interview with media and does not have prior media interview experience, the Media and Public Relations Manager will schedule a media training session with the faculty/staff member.
In addition to all the above, the following rules and guidelines are set in place by the UIW Office of Communications and Brand Marketing for members of UIW student media who wish to cover the University and needing to interview senior leadership -- a member of the President’s Cabinet or Provost’s Dean Council.
- No interviews may be conducted unless first scheduled through OCM and the Media and Public Relations Manager.
- Questions should be submitted along with the interview request.
- If a student reporter plans to cover a University event in an official media capacity, including graduation or “Light the Way,” the Media and Public Relations Manager should be notified ahead of time of such intent.
- Unless advised otherwise, if a student reporter plans to attend a smaller event held by a Student Organization in an official media capacity, the Media and Public Relations Manager do not need to be notified ahead of time.
- Student media is expected to always conduct themselves in a professional manner (in the e-mailed interview request, before the interview, during the interview, etc.)
- Student media, like all media sources, are expected to report accurately and honestly, avoiding inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions.
- Breaking news does happen and OCM will work with UIW student media if interviews are needed immediately. However, faculty and other UIW employees and senior leadership should be given an appropriate amount of time to respond to requests for interviews.
- OCM is always available to UIW student media to coordinate interviews or answer questions needed to conduct a story.
Co- Chairs: UIW Media & PR Manager and Chair of the UIW Communications Dept.
The role of the Student Media Advisory Board at the University of the Incarnate Word is to assist and advise student media leaders, the Dean of the School of Media and Design and the Office of the Provost in overseeing the operations of student media.
The authority of the board is derived from a delegation of responsibility by the Office of the Provost. The board is overseen by the Dean of the School of Media and Design, the director of the Communication Arts Dept. and the Director of the Office of Communications and Brand Marketing.
Members of the board include the Dean of the School of Media and Design, the UIW Media and Public Relations Manager, the Director of the Communication Arts Dept, two student media faculty, and the student editors/directors of The Logos, KUIW and UIWtv.
OCM is available to help student media in an advisory capacity. However, the primary advisers are in the School of Media and Design, particularly the Department of Communication Arts, for the Logos student newspaper, KUIW radio and UIW tv stations
For information on UIW Social Media please visit:
https://www.uiw.edu/policy/communications/social-media-policy.html