Communications task force recommends co-ordination

May 9, 2008

A need for greater co-ordination of University communications efforts and clear institutional leadership, but not centralized control, were the key findings of a Communications Review Task Force report submitted last month to President Peter MacKinnon.

The task force, headed by Vice-President University Advancement Heather Magotiaux and Associate Vice-President Research Karen Chad, spent several months last year consulting with various groups on campus about how to improve the co-ordination and effectiveness of communications to the internal community, to outside stakeholders and for the overall profile of the University. The result was 10 recommendations for consideration by MacKinnon that address issues of leadership, consistency, and quality.    

MacKinnon has acted on the first recommendation by vesting accountability and authority for communications at the U of S with Magotiaux, and asked her to lead the process of considering and implementing the remaining recommendations.

“What the task force found was that while the community recognizes its communications successes, they see room for improvement around areas such as role clarity for communicators, consistency in our efforts, and particularly a need for improvement in our internal communications,” said Magotiaux. “We have a very complicated communications structure, and while the University is making a significant investment in communications across the campus, we need to ask ourselves if that investment is providing the return we should expect.”

Magotiaux said the task force looked at three basic areas of communications activity:  those who communicate on behalf of the institution as a whole; those who communicate primarily on behalf of an individual unit or college; and those units where a component of communications is an embedded function.  One example she gave of the latter was the University Bookstore which oversees the sales of branded items.  She added that it is most critical that those involved in communications on behalf of the institution work as a cohesive group. “This is where we see the fragmentation and lack of co-ordination having the most impact on our effectiveness.”

Noting there will be no immediate changes to organizational structure, Magotiaux said her first priority will be to lead the development of an overarching communications strategy for the University, a job the task force recommends be entrusted to a communications advisory group comprised of key communications leaders. 

The task force also suggests consistency of communications be addressed.  Magotiaux said the visual materials created for the University’s centennial year provided insight into the need “for a common look and feel.” Some time will also be spent examining the practices of other institutions and to put the best of those mechanisms in place here, she said.  Equally important is finding ways to measure success.

Magotiaux and Chad were joined on the task force by Vice-Provost Barrie Dubray, Associate Vice-President Information & Communications Technology Rick Bunt, Cecilia Reynolds, dean of Education, and Dr. Charles Rhodes, dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.