Media Contacts and Relations

Operational Standard/Purpose

This standard provides guidelines to coordinate and facilitate contact with all media.

The purpose of this standard is to promote a positive, proactive, and responsive relationship with members of the local, regional, state, and national media while maintain protection of student and employee First Amendment rights and respecting the learning environment.

Scope/Applicability

This procedure applies to all employees. Managers/Supervisors are responsible for ensuring their areas adhere to this standard.

This standard applies to any and all contacts by media and/or from media at any time.

Procedures

1. The media (defined as radio, television, newspaper, magazine, and internet information sources) make frequent requests for interviews and information. Cooperation with the media is essential to develop effective/positive media and community relations while fulfilling the community’s right to know. It is the responsibility of the Public Relations Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement, or the president’s designee, to be the official spokesperson to the media or to identify and prepare the appropriate ICC staff member.
2. Employees may not grant interviews, talk with the media concerning matters of official College business, represent themselves as an official College spokesperson, issue a news release on College business, events or activities, contact the media for coverage without the advance approval and knowledge of the Public Relations Coordinator, Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement, College President. (This does not prohibit employees from speaking to the media as a representative of their collective bargaining unit or as a private citizen as long as employees do not represent their views as the official views or position of the College, its administration, or its Board of Trustees. Trustee relations with the media are covered in the Trustee’s administrative by-laws.)
3. Illinois Central College has the right to prohibit reporters or other media representatives from interviewing student and/or employees, taking photographs, capturing video, and otherwise invading the confidentiality and rights of the individuals or the College when it is in the best interest of student(s) and/or employee(s) to deny media access (for example, capturing video Page while students are taking a test in a classroom) or when such access violates FERPA restrictions or other legally constituted constraints.
4. Media requests are most frequently driven by current issues. Consequently, these requests require immediate response to meet media deadlines and to provide accurate and timely College responses. The Public Relations Coordinator, Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement or designee, will make every effort to meet media deadlines without disrupting student, employee, and/or College functions, services, and the learning environment.
5. When the media calls:
   1. All media calls should be directed to the Public Relations Coordinator or the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement.
   2. If media calls during “off-hours,” Campus Police should be notified, who then contact the Public Relations Coordinator and/or the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement.
   3. If an employee encounters a media representative on campus, the employee should advise the representative to contact the Public Relations Coordinator and/or the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement. The employee also should notify the Public Relations Coordinator and/or the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement.
6. Requesting media coverage:
   1. Persons/departments wanting information released to the media for coverage of a program, class, service, or event must contact the Public Relations Coordinator or the Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement.
   2. Faculty and staff, acting as representatives of ICC, may not contact media without the advance approval and knowledge of the Public Relations Coordinator or Vice President of Marketing and Institutional Advancement.
   3. The marketing and college communications department and/or public relations coordinator does not provide public relations support for ICC employees’ personal activities, honors, and/or events that are outside the scope of that employee’s professional responsibilities at ICC.

Additional Provisions/Information

1. Employees should be cognizant of the limitations State statutes put on political activities and/or endorsements, as well as active political campaigning through the media as a representative of ICC.
2. This standard in no way may be construed to be in conflict of the Freedom of Information Act. (See Article VII Board of Trustees By-Laws.)
3. The Board of Trustees designate their own spokesperson through their By-Laws. (See Article VIII Board of Trustees By-Laws.)
4. This standard in no way supersedes the Administrative Rules of the Board of Trustees, included but not limited to these areas of the Administrative Policies of the Board of Trustees:
   • Controversial Issues – Article III, Section 5
   • Outside Speakers – Article III, Section 6
   • Outside Activities – Article V, Section 20
   • Illinois Central College Ethics Ordinance – Article XVII
   • Social Media Policy – Article XIX
   • Emergency Operations Plan – Article XXI