Media Relations Procedures

General

Consistent with the principles outlined in the policy document, the College:

1. Requests that all media inquiries and requests for interviews pertaining to the College are to be referred to the Marketing and Communications Department, or coordinated with the department prior to a response.


2. Is committed to open and timely communications with representatives of the media within the confines of the legitimate requirements of student and employee confidentiality and safety.


3. Recognizes the important role that the media plays in disseminating news about the College and members of the College community. The College will provide, through a designated spokesperson, full and reasonable answers to questions from the media and will ensure that newsworthy information is disseminated in a timely and appropriate manner.


4. Will consider providing access to College property for the purpose of audio or video taping.

Spokespersons for Media Inquiries to the College

5. The Chair of the Board, or their designate, is the official spokesperson for media inquiries about Board matters.


6. The College President, or their designate, is the official spokesperson for media inquiries about College matters other than Board matters.


7. The Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, or their designate, is the official spokesperson for media inquiries about College matters other than those handled by the President.


8. Technical or subject matter experts identified by the College and who have received media training may be designated to speak to media on matters specific to their area of expertise, knowledge and field of study.

Responses to Media Inquiries to the College

9. All inquiries from the media to any member of the College community are directed to the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications or their designate. Inquiries should be forwarded promptly in order to honor the College's commitment to a short response time.


10. The Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will determine, in consultation with the President where appropriate, who will act as the College spokesperson for a particular inquiry.

College Contact for Communication to the Media

11. The Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, or their designate, is the College contact for all communications involving media, video and audio releases, news conferences, interviews, public service announcements, communications about a College crisis and meetings with the media.


12. The Executive Director, Marketing and Communications or their designate, will co-ordinate arrangements with College departments and individuals affected by the communication.

Members of the College Community / Media Inquiries or Communication to the Media

13. All members of the College community are required to inform the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, or their designate, prior to responding to VCC related inquiries from the media or commenting to the media on behalf of VCC.


14. Members of the College community, who are interviewed by the media on their own time, as private citizens and not as representatives of the College, may not engage in interviews on or within College property. Members of the College community, in this situation, may not indicate or suggest College approval for their own or others' private actions or opinions.


15. Letters to the Editor on behalf of the College, or by an individual wishing to identify him or herself as an employee of the College, are subject to review and approval by the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, or their designate. Personal Letters to the Editor cannot be sent on College letterhead or indicate College approval.


16. For additional direction around public comment, college employees should refer to VCC's Standards of Employee Conduct & Conflict of Interest Policy 202.

Access to College Property

17. Any request by the media for video or audio taping can only be carried out with the permission of the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, or their designate, and only if the person carrying out the video or audio taping is accompanied by a member of the Marketing and Communications department or designated College employee.

Release of Information or Images Involving a Member of the College Community to the Media

18. The release of information or images involving a member of the College community to the media is governed:
    
    
    
    1. For Students:  by practices maintained by the Registrar's Office
    
    
    2. For Employees: by practices maintained by the Human Resources Department
    
    
    3. All Other Members of the College Community;  by practices maintained by the Marketing and Communications Department
    
    
    
    

Social Media

19. The VCC Social Media Best Practices (available on MyVCC) is a document that has been prepared and is maintained by the College's Marketing and Communications Department. The document is intended to guide employees in their participation in social media as an employee or representative of the College.