How to Institute Internal Communications On a College Campus

How you can develop internal communications strategies

When creating internal messages, the campus communications team should consider these three questions:

• What message should the college send to the campus community?

Different times of the year call for different messages.

For example, the beginning of the semester is confusing for both faculty and students. Communications should be geared toward troubleshooting, wayfinding, and informing the campus of upcoming events.

During holidays and breaks, messages should inform students of campus festivities, special cafeteria meals, times for airport shuttles and directions to the local bus/train stations.

End of the semester communications should revolve around studying tips, dorm move-out instructions, and campus facility closings.

• What is the most effective communication medium?

The generations attending college study off of tablets instead of printed books, order from digital menus instead of paper, and rely on instant information from electronic devices instead of newspapers.

To stay ahead of the game, many colleges are turning to technologies like digital signage to power their content across their campuses.

Using these types of technologies conveys dynamic content, which, compared to static content, is more likely to retain audience attention.

• How does the college immediately alert its campus?

Technologies on campus, like digital signage, give a college the ability to get information across the campus instantly, especially in the event of an emergency.

For example, during a campus safety breach, inclement weather, fire, etc., all digital signage solutions display the warning or message.

Some colleges rely on mass notification systems to launch a message out. This includes mass emails, text messages and desktop notifications.

Once the emergency has cleared, all the technologies involved will be usable like they were before the emergency; the signage will return to the previously scheduled content and students can text their friends.