Range of Responsibilities

The Office of Public Relations actively supports the College's efforts to recruit qualified students and to attract financial support for academic programs and financial aid, while meeting Rollins' other communications needs. 

The Office of Public Relations works to protect and enhance the image of Rollins College through strategic communications with the College’s stakeholders: potential students and donors, current students and donors, faculty and staff, alumni, trustees, community and business leaders, and the media. 

Six areas encompass the services offered by the department:  news media relations, public relations planning and counseling, issues and crisis management, internal communications and Web updates and maintenance.
 

Issues and Crisis Management

Effective issues management anticipates and plans ahead for problems, crises or trends that may negatively impact an organization. This is as important, if not more important, to achieving sound and productive relations between Rollins and its stakeholders as maximizing publicity opportunities. The Office tracks and manages issues to avoid – or at least minimize – negative impact. Much goes on "behind the scenes," and sometimes what doesn’t appear in the news media takes longer to achieve than what does appear. 

The Office also manages crisis communications ranging from weather emergencies to world events that may impact the College. On a tragic day like September 11, 15 media inquiries were handled in just one day, and the Office facilitated dozens of media requests for experts on terrorism, airport security, the economic impact and more in the weeks following the attack.

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Internal Communications

The campus newsletter for faculty and staff, R-Town, is managed and distributed by Public Relations and provides news of interest to the campus community. Other special editions and/or communications are issued as needed.

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News Media Relations

Good news doesn't just happen; it requires planning, research and hard work. Working from a public relations planning calendar and strategic publicity plan, the Office proactively pitches stories and interesting photo opportunities to the media on campus events, and student or faculty achievements, and offers subject experts to the media on timely topics.

News releases may range from announcing new management level positions, new programs, innovative research, good news such as rankings, campus events, Fox Day, visiting artists and scholars, fund-raising events and achievements, commemorations or dedications, and more. 
The Office works directly with local, regional and national media representatives, monitors services such as ProfNet (an electronic service that distributes journalists’ queries for subject experts to members), and collaborates with higher education associations to achieve placements.

These efforts have resulted in outstanding visibility via countless placements in key local and regional outlets and in such notable national publications as the Washington Post, USA Today,
The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, and more. 

There is no typical day in the Office of Public Relations. During an average week, the Office responds to at least five media requests for subject experts, fielding approximately 250 annual media inquiries. The Public Relations staff often makes suggestions for op-ed (short opinion pieces) on timely topics and assists with the final editing and/or placement of the editorials. Upon request, the Office also prepares and distributes "hometowner" news releases to promote student academic achievements.

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Public Inquiries

The Office of Public Relations maintains a referral directory for requests for information and services (located at www.rollins.edu/pr/campusclients/rollinsrequests.shtml). All public inquiries received by the Office of Public Relations are directed to the appropriate college office for response and/or fulfillment. Inquiries may be received by phone at the main Public Relations number at (407) 646-2202 or via e-mail at contact@rollins.edu. 

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Public Relations Planning and Counseling

Structured like a mini-agency, the Office of Public Relations provides public relations counseling and services to more than 20 internal client bases including the president, senior administrators, the Board of Trustees, Institutional Advancement, the Office of Admission, the Crummer Graduate School of Business, the Hamilton Holt School, Human Resources, the Annie Russell Theatre, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Athletics, Information Technology, Community Engagement, the Philanthropy & Non-Profit Leadership Center, the Executive Management Center, Student Activities, the faculty, WPRK, the Knowles Memorial Chapel, Olin Library, the Child Development Center, Development Department and the Sandspur. 

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Web Updates and Maintenance

The Office of Public Relations provides frequent updates to "News and Public Relations" portion of Rollins' home page with items of interest to the general public. The Office also maintains its own Web pages, provides responses to Web inquiries, and assists with maintenance of the President's Web pages. 

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