Ways to prove that college public relations offices are meeting their objectives are discussed. Understanding objectives and how the office can meet them focuses activities and helps make efficient use of staff. Seven evaluation methods are identified: production; message distribution; exposure; accuracy; audience awareness; attitude change; and…

Reaching students and donors through advertising is discussed in several articles including: "Proven Effective," on what makes three advertising campaigns work; "Commercial Appeal," on how advertising can help institutions meet its goals (Frank A. DeFazio); "Desperately Seeking Savvy," on finding the right advertising…

Presents strategies for promoting school community relations with a district-wide communications program. Suggests working with news media at the district level, focusing on the journalistic values of proximity, timeliness, prominence, consequence, human interest, and conflict. Discusses the roles and responsibilities of the information officer,…

A panel that has been examining ways to improve the public perception of higher education urged college presidents to listen to public criticisms and take action. Main points for consideration include quality of education, tuition, access, job training and economic development, and public service. (MLW)

Administrators at Southeast Missouri State University may gamble on a controversial public relations strategy that would depend on a big-time sports program to increase enrollment. Utica College, however, will return to the NCAA's Division III after spiraling sports costs and inability to gain entrance to a suitable conference. (MLW)

Regardless of the size of a constituency or development office staff, a prompt and personal thank-you letter for every college donor gift is a must. This ritual is as crucial to a successful development program as any other step in the fund-raising process. (MLW)

The new basketball coach at the University of Maryland finds the difficult introduction to college athletics intensified by months of bad publicity for the institution. (MSE)

Elucidates the nature of rumor and its major predictors--personal anxiety, general uncertainty, credulity, and topical importance--from a contextual perspective. Discusses how these factors affect and predict rumor generation and transmission, and presents five general principles of rumor management. (MM)

Assesses the attitudes that news-editorial students have toward careers in public relations and advertising and the attitudes that public relations-advertising students have toward news careers. Finds that news-ed students saw careers in public relations as being less useful to society and having less prestige in the community than their careers.…

Presents a model that relates process to functions to best prepare students with the skill, understanding, and mindset to cope with the unstructured activities so characteristic of applied public relations. (HTH)

Describes how a group of fourth grade teachers culminated their state history instruction with independent and small group projects which became a "mini museum." Includes practical information for securing parental assistance and press coverage. (JDH)

Analyzes the role of magnet schools in stimulating and changing linkages between the community and public education. Analyzes the effectiveness of marketing methods such as the following: (1) public relations, (2) student recruiting, and (3) information dissemination. Considers their impact on the community-school relationship. (LHW)

Using an English teacher as an example, this article shows that a good public relations program can be built without formally trained PR professionals. The principal can conduct an effective program by initiating friendly relationships with local reporters, facilitating two-way communication, and being honest when asked tough questions. (MLH)

The principal of Concord High School (New Hampshire) recounts the 1985-86 school year's four crises--the visits of teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe and Secretary of Education William Bennett, the shooting of a former student, and the Challenger space shuttle explosion. The greatest challenge was resuming the normal schedule and fielding media…

President Richard M. Cyert of Carnegie Mellon University set establishing national visibility as a university-wide goal six years ago. The public relations office developed a hard-driving program centered on national media coverage. This program is described. (MLW)