Increased parent involvement means better financial support for public schools. Parent involvement at the secondary level is most effective when teachers feel comfortable working with parents; parent convenience is considered; school-parent communication is frequent and positive; programs build self-esteem and feature social and educational…

Describes the efforts of the Chicago archdiocesan office of Catholic education to advertise its services throughout the Chicago area. Highlights the office's "Shareholder's Report," a local report card which was distributed through Catholic schools to all parents and which provided data about student achievement, costs, drop-out rates,…

School administrators can be well served by the news media if they manage to get their message across, deal honestly with media questions, beware "off-the-record" comments, accommodate reporters' deadlines, and avoid educational jargon. Administrators have the right to know proposed interview subjects; determine interview time, length,…

Provides an overview of marketing efforts of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Examples of a marketing plan that stresses fostering relationships with the community are described, including staff training in customer service, a cultural festival, and services to the business community. A sidebar offers marketing tips for…

Argues that organizations routinely engage in values advocacy (the appeal to shared cultural values) to perform three distinct functions: (1) to enhance the organization's image; (2) to deflect criticism of the organization and/or its policies, products, and services; and (3) to establish value premises that can be used in later discourse. (SR)

Focuses on how college and university reputations are built and may decay. Explores attributes of organizational reputation. Explores differential aspects of history in the formation of enduring and situational perceptions of organizational reputation, as well as differential effects of communication modes for reaching target publics. Identifies…

It is argued that colleges and universities need to understand the importance of customer service in student retention, particularly in a competitive marketplace. Customer service concepts that work in the private sector are seen as useful in higher education, and a model is proposed. (MSE)

A survey of 1,058 American Advertising Federation members and 806 Public Relations Society of America members (564 total responses) revealed widespread interest in continuing education in the form of seminars and workshops to keep current and advance. Interest in degree programs decreased with years of experience. Topic interests included…

Controversies and divisive issues on college campuses require swift action from public relations personnel. Although the issues may change, the basic coping strategy focuses on preserving a sense of community both on campus and among alumni, friends, and supporters. When polarization occurs it can be used as a source of communication and…

Describes how separate graduate degree programs have been fused into an integrated marketing communications program at Northwestern University. Discusses the five-quarter program that includes a core of new marketing communications planning and management classes, professional specialization classes in corporate public relations, advertising, and…

It is important for alumni associations to project a consistent image. This can be accomplished in part by adopting a logo, either similar to or different from the institution's, or by instituting a visual identity program that conveys the association's personality and suits its marketing purposes. (MSE)

To launch a successful levy or bond issue, school leaders must check with school attorneys or professional associations regarding limitations on marketing activities, allow sufficient campaign time, actively cultivate the press, and involve officers of all district parent organizations. Administrators should arrange for teachers, board members,…

School executives should learn the value of effective spin control. Politically savvy principals and superintendents keep their public-relations message simple, consider emotional appeal, repeat the message constantly, play up schools' inclusiveness as a strength, pay attention to forming both questions and answers, discredit negative messengers,…

As news reports continue to describe questionable charges for indirect costs in government-sponsored research, academic officials try to explain the rates, which vary greatly by institution and are based on complicated accounting formulas, to the press, alumni, trustees, and state legislators. Overhead rates, ranging from 37 percent to 77 percent,…

Basic principles of designing a reunion gift program include beginning small, researching class prospects, gathering volunteers, determining the financial goal, communicating needs and intentions, organizing volunteers, advertising well, and making the donation at the reunion a major event. More ambitious plans can be tied into the program later.…