Obsession with institutional image, encouraged by the yearly rankings published by a major national news magazine, has led many colleges and universities to use questionable statistics to bolster public relations efforts. Manipulative reporting goes beyond standardized test scores to include athlete graduation rates and any other image-enhancing…

Reasons are given for media myopia about higher education, and suggestions are made for improving news media perceptions: (1) using personalities to enhance the university's image; (2) establishing a program for making faculty expertise available to the media; (3) emphasizing solutions, not problems; and (4) taking risks. (MSE)

Matching the celebrity graduate to the celebration calls for careful coordination of styles, schedules, and expectations. In producing a star-studded extravaganza using alumni, make sure the campus has the right resources. Often the celebrity will take the initiative in shaping the nature of their commitment. (MLW)

Many higher education institutions have allowed market fragmentation by permitting their names to be used in many forms and many ways. Specific techniques can be used to discover the power and value of the institutional name, identify what it communicates, and learn how to use it to convey identity effectively. (MSE)

President Richard M. Cyert of Carnegie Mellon University set establishing national visibility as a university-wide goal six years ago. The public relations office developed a hard-driving program centered on national media coverage. This program is described. (MLW)

This proceedings presents the discussions, business meetings, lectures, and speeches delivered at the 104th Annual Meeting of The National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, including the organization's financial statements for December 31, 1990 and 1989. In addition, the proceedings lists the past elected heads of the…

Although nearly all the world's cultures value philanthropy, few have a recent history of giving to education. If colleges and universities make the effort to motivate their international constituents today, these alumni, families, and friends can have a significant impact on the institution's future. The first step is for institutions to examine…

The "U.S. News and World Report" rankings of colleges do not affect institutions equally; the schools impacted most are those that have the most to lose because they benefit from, even rely on, the rankings for prestige and visibility. The magazine relies on the rankings for substantial sales revenues, and has garnered considerable power…

Institutions need coordinated events programs that support institutional goals and are closely related to them, whether the objective is fund raising, student recruitment, or improvement of the college image. Carefully selected and planned events create news, affect perceptions, influence attitudes, spark emotions, and affect people's decisions…

A school fund-raising drive for a young cancer victim at Twality Junior High School in Tigard, Oregon, became a legal hassle with the involvement of a professional fund-raising organization being investigated for mishandling funds. Advises making a thorough background check before letting anyone take custody of funds raised through the school.…

The concepts of "image" and "image management" in higher education are relatively new outcomes of an overall debate about accountability. Competition for faculty, students, and resources demands that colleges and universities promote their faculty's good work. Public support and trust are critical to funding and understanding…

A discussion of institutional stature in higher education focuses on its development and determination and strategies for its enhancement. The central theme is that although colleges and universities are affected by trends in the external environment, they can plan, respond, act, and organize themselves to improve their stature. The report…

Advice for colleges on how to identify, develop, and communicate a positive image for the institution is offered in this handbook. The use of market research techniques to measure image is discussed along with advice on how to improve an image so that it contributes to a unified marketing plan. The first objective is to create and communicate some…

Improving college stature is an ongoing and essential process needed to regain public support and trust. Administrators can elevate stature through specific techniques in innovative planning, resource allocation, outcomes assessment, and image management, and they can communicate better with the public. (MSE)

Describes the way in which Wilfrid Laurier University (Ontario), an institution that had worked hard to improve its programs and reputation, addressed a disappointing ranking in a national news magazine. In cooperation with other educators, administrators, and institutional researchers, the university undertook a successful project to have the…