The issue is how do you keep track of everything going on at PSU?

After many hours of discussions and research We’ve concluded that most any bit of PSU news and information one could hope to find is available and accessible. The problem is where? We have information on on the Web site, myPlymouth, through ThisWeek@PSU, and distributed via e-mail–lot’s of e-mail.

The solution? P-Link. OPR has consolidated information online and developed an efficient and easy to use e-mail system to keep the campus connected.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

cmw

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• Say goodbye to PSU Announce, say hello to P-Link

I’m very excited about P-Link as it organizes information sharing on campus in such a way that everything you ever wanted to know about PSU will be centrally located. Plus, you will be able to access all of this important, relevant, and exciting information according to your preferences.

Here’s how it works:

First we identified three unique categories of information–Urgent, Need2know, and FYI–and defined them:

Urgent messages require immediate attention and/or action like:

* Evacuations
* Fire
* Explosions
* Violent or criminal behavior
* Flood evacuations
* Severe weather emergencies
* Unplanned power failures
* Civil disturbance or demonstrations
* Earthquake
* Chemical spills
* Bomb threats

Need to know messages are notices that require attention and sometimes action but not immediate like:

* Canceled classes
* Curtailed operations
* Severe weather emergencies
* Flood evacuations
* IT network issues
* Anticipated power failures
* Select administrative communications
* MRSA, EEE, West Nile, potential pandemics

FYI messages are general information correspondence that inform, entertain, and enlighten—action is optional like:

* Events
* General interest news
* Awards
* Recognition
* Updates
* Promotions

Then we created and defined the vehicles by which we will distribute information to the campus:

* PSU Alert emergency communications is an opt-in notification system for faculty, staff and students who want to receive information via cell phone text messages and/or e-mail. These correspondences will be used only for urgent and select need to know communications.

* Need2Know e-mail is the revamped PSU announce e-mail that is delivered to all faculty and staff and when appropriate will be pushed to all students. These correspondences will include urgent and need to know communications. If a PSU Alert is distributed that message will also be delivered via a Need2Know e-mail.

* FYI e-mail is a new e-mail listserv that employs an opt-in model. This allows faculty, staff, and students the ability to determine if they want to receive the FYI e-mails that will be distributed daily.

All requests for campus distribution of information will be submitted to OPR via the online work request form for consideration. These submissions will be collected, edited and distributed on a daily basis. These correspondences will also be duplicated in the myPlymouth announcements.

*www.plymouth.edu: Information posted on the PSU Web site will be managed by OPR with back-up and support from IT except for those departments managing content via the University’s content management system.

* myPlymouth announcements contain information posted from a variety of campus sources. OPR will review and manage those announcements submitted to them for editorial style, relevance, and timeliness. OPR will also develop a brief style guide for the campus to use so there is consistency among the posts.There will be some duplication in content with urgent, need to know, and FYI e-mails.

* P-Week online will continue to be posted as a PDF so readers will have the option to read it online or print it and enjoy it the old fashion way.

* myNews tab: We’ve created a new and way cool central campus internal news and information repository in myPlymouth called myNews. When you vist the myNews tab you’ll find:

- PSU athletics news
- ThisWeek@PSU
- The Clock
- myPlymouth Announcements
- PSU emergency procedures
- Working with OPR Web page
- ‘PSU In the News’ the online news clips
- P-Week online

Next is visual aid to emphasize the multi-faceted means by which P-Link will get the campus news to you.

PSU internal communications matrix—defining redundancies:

Message Category */ Means of Communications **	PSU Alert “Opt-in” Text to cell phones	E-mail PSU “Need2Know”	E-mail PSU “FYI”	Web	myPlymouth Announcements	P-Week	myNews	Campus presentations	P-Link Blog
Urgent
Off-campus	X	X		X	X
On-campus	X	X		X	X
Personalize	X			X
Need to Know
Off-campus		X		X	X	X	X
On-campus		X		X	X	X	X
Personalize	X				X	X	X	X
FYI
Off-campus			X	X	X	X	X
On-campus			X	X	X	X	X		X
Personalize	X		X		X	X	X	X	X

* Definition of Message Categories: Messages are categorized by the type of message and the intended audience.

** Definition of Means of Communications: Identifies the means by which the University will communicate to its audiences.

If you have questions or comments regarding P-Link, keeping the campus connected please drop me a note at cwilliams@plymouth.edu.

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• Why P-Link? Why now?

As you know, I have been planning to develop a blog to use as the primary means of communications between OPR and the University community.

The intended audience is internal–the University community, faculty, staff, students, administrators, etc. It is designed to communicate the changing face of OPR and initiate discussion as to how it functions within the University.

The subject matter will be topical and diverse, but always relevant as to how we collectively manage the brand and reputation of PSU.

Here are just some of the working titles of topics I would like to address in this space and share with the campus:

1. “We’ve got style…” Using the PSU and other style guides
2. “Working for a living…” Roll out of new policies and procedures to work with OPR
3. “The OPR online work request form–what is it and how do I use it?”
4. “Getting to know you…” Who is OPR and what can we do for you?
5. “Review of USNH communicators meeting…”
6. Overview of PSU Emergency Communications Task Force Recommendations
7. Updates from the President’s Communications Task Force
8. “To blog or not to blog…”
9. “Online photo archives…”
10. “Outsourcing in OPR. Is it an efficient means of using additional resources or PSU’s NAFTA?”
11. Updates from the PRSA Yankee Chapter
12. Updates from the USNH BoT External Affairs Committee

After some thought–and having received some sound advice from Kim–I would like the OPR Weblog to be a collaborative effort. I would like each staff member to consider contributing to the blog as you deem appropriate. It’s strictly voluntary, but each of you has a unique prospective that would greatly add to the discussion.

But first-things-first. We need to decide on a name for our blog, determine its look and feel. Then discuss in greater detail the purpose of this tool and set goals by which we can measure the success or effectiveness of this effort.

Please send your comments via the blog’s comment link at the end of this message.

This is a blank canvass so let’s see what we can create together.