Marketing and Communications : 9.01.00.00

Policy/Guideline

1. Marketing and Communications
   1. The SCMO shall chair the Council of Marketers and Communicators. The advising- only, non-binding council will be comprised of at least one (1) marketing and one (1) communications representative from each community college and at least two (2) representatives from each grand division for the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology whom the TCAT President’s Council shall appoint annually.
   2. The Council should meet quarterly or upon request of the Chancellor or designee.
   3. The Council shall advance marketing initiatives and recommend procedures related to the following:
      1. Any other matters referred to the Council by the Chancellor or designee.
      2. Marketing-related policies.
      3. Consideration of the feasibility and advantages of shared contracts for the Colleges.
      4. Shared resources to foster cooperation and cost savings efficiencies.
      5. Development of consistent and coordinated initiatives and procedures to enhance public awareness of higher education and TBR Colleges.
2. Marketing
   1. Each community college president shall appoint a CMO, regardless of official College titles.
   2. The SCMO serves as the CMO of the TCATs.
   3. Marketing and communications materials for the system office and each College shall comply with all marketing and communications-related policies.
   4. The CMO or their designee must review and approve materials intended for external audiences as outlined all marketing and communications policies (the advertising policy, branding policy, social media policy, publications policy, web publishing policy, and mass communications policy).
   5. External marketing and communications consultants or contracts for marketing and communications-related services, including advertising, may be retained only with the prior approval of the CMO, and must work through the CMO’s office, regardless of funding source.
3. Endorsements
   1. Direct or indirect, implied or inferred institutional endorsement of a product, service, or company is prohibited.
      1. The identification of an individual's relationship to the College is permitted.
      2. Companies and/or products that support the college or offer discounts offered to students, faculty, staff, or the campus community may be listed, provided such listing does not state or imply endorsement.
   2. Businesses selling officially licensed College products may use those products in their advertising. There must be no implication that the College endorses the business beyond having the ability to sell officially licensed products. A statement such as "selling officially licensed [College Name] products" may be used.
4. Communications and Public Relations
   1. Each College president shall appoint an official College spokesperson and backup, regardless of the official college titles.
   2. The President, Spokesperson and their designee(s) are the only persons authorized to initiate communications with or respond to news media on behalf of the College, including media releases, public notices, and interviews.
   3. Each College should have a crisis communications plan, including providing appropriate and timely notice to System Office personnel during potential crises.
      1. The plan should be reviewed and updated annually.
5. Exceptions and Exemptions to Marketing and Communications Policies
   1. It is understood that some Colleges may have cross-functional duties between marketing and communications and that the CMO and Spokesperson may be a single position. Thus, Colleges are expected to comply with the intent outlined in this policy regardless of organizational design or title.
   2. At the direction of the president, the CMO may appoint an employee to act as a designee of the CMO for athletic-related marketing and public relations. The designee(s) would act as CMO and spokesperson for Athletics and is expected to comply with all policies, including reporting requirements.
   3. Marketing and communications policies do not apply to instructional materials, student newspapers, yearbooks, research-related publications, research reports, work processing forms, job postings, and auxiliary operations. Still, they are expected to comply with the intent of the policies in representing the College's established marketing, branding, and communications guidelines.
   4. The CMO and/or Spokesperson must approve all other exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
   5. The CMO and/or Spokesperson may delegate authority outlined in any marketing and communicate policy to a subordinate.
   6. The SCMO and System Spokesperson have the authority to act, in their respective capacities, on behalf of any College when deemed necessary for the betterment of the System.