12 Ways to Help Promote the College of Design

12 Ways Faculty and Staff Can Help Promote the College of Design with DSGN Communications

Whether you are a new employee at the college or need a refresher, the following 12 ways are just a few of the methods college employees can work with the DSGN Communications Team to promote the college, a particular school, department, class, individual, or event.

1. Send us exemplary student work.

We want to publish stories about their projects and feature their work on our social channels. Send them to designcomms@uoregon.edu.

2. Promote your events.

Work with us to promote your events to ensure the maximum coverage by the college and university. Engaging with the DSGN Communications Team is a fantastic way to ensure your events reach the right individuals. To ensure your event has proper coverage you must make sure it is on the UO calendar (learn how to post to the calender). You can submit an event marketing request with the team five weeks in advance of your promotion START date.

3. Submit your story ideas and tell us about your big projects.

We want to hear about your research, trips, events, cool student projects, and more. We’re particularly interested in stories that relate to the following:

    • Experiential learning and career readiness opportunities.
    • Our welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community.
    • Transferrable skills – critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, entrepreneurial thinking, data and media literacy, tech skills, research skills, etc.
    • Stories involving Alumni success, especially when working with students.
    • Transpecies or green design.
    • Transdisciplinary Projects – project collaborations between different majors, departments, or colleges.
    • Our impact on the professions we partner with, the state, the nation, and the world, including faculty research!

4. Send us high-resolution photos and/or video from your College of Design-related adventures.

We’re always looking for engaging visuals for our website, social channels, and recruitment materials. Send them to designcomms@uoregon.edu, and don’t forget to include photo/video credits and proof of permission to use the assets, such as a media release.

5. Submit skilled communication support requests or needs to DSGN Communications.

6. Let us interview you for our Tiktok, Instagram, and YouTube channels.

Talk about your research, initiatives, favorite classes—even your hobbies. Contact DSGN Communications for more information via designcomms@uoregon.edu.

7. Pitch a story for Media Relations.

The College of Design Communications Team can be your conduit to share any story ideas you think may be of interest to a larger audience like Oregon News or the University of Oregon’s social media channels.

You can submit your idea to Media Relations using their form or submit your story with our form. Media Relations will reach out to both you and the DSGN Communications office upon receipt of the story pitch.

8. Familiarize yourself with the Strategic Plans.

Familiarity with both the college’s strategic plan and the university’s strategic plan not only helps out when deciding what kind of communications should be sent out to which audiences, but will give a better understanding of the long-term goals for faculty, staff, and students at the college and university level.

9. Become an expert.

If you would like to be an expert source for the many media who contact UO looking for quotes, let the DSGN Communications Team know that you would like to be included on the UO Experts webpage. The Media Relations team is always looking for new experts to add in order to increase our footprint and expertise in the eyes of journalists.

10. Be brand-compliant with all your documents and materials.

It is important to always use our correct logos and text styles for any communications, both internal and external. Please contact the DSGN Communications team with any questions concerning design, placement, or use of the logo, or what fonts should be used on official college and university communications/marketing pieces. Logo files are shared upon request and should only be requested by faculty or staff.

Official student groups can be provided a particular college logo on a case-by-case basis.

Looking for a blank letterhead template? You can acquire one here via Canto.

Looking for a brand-compliant email signature? Find it available for copy/paste here.

Want to know more about the university’s push for brand compliance? You can learn more about brand compliance and other communications tidbits on the main Brand Guide page here:  https://communications.uoregon.edu/brand.

11. Use UO Digital Asset Management System known as Canto to supercharge your materials.

The University of Oregon provides access to a rich media library called Canto for all faculty and staff, with marketing and communications specialists having access to an expanded brand library. Canto, accessed via https://uoregon.canto.com/,  has photos, videos, and marketing collateral that may be only available in the expanded library, so reach out if you are having trouble finding a particular piece or document.

Internal DSGN templates will be added to Canto at a later date and will not require an expanded license to access.

12. Keep your CASProfile Up to Date.

Every university employee has a directory page in the university’s CASIT profile system upon being hired by the university. Keeping these pages up to date with your title, contact info, bio, research, media mentions, and awards is important for prospective and current students, faculty, and even university leadership.

You should endeavor to update your content on an annual basis, minimum. You do this through the university’s CASIT profile system (also known as CASProfile and can be accessed here:  https://casprofile.uoregon.edu/).  If you have never logged into your profile or don’t know if you have one, now is the perfect time to go to the website and update your log.

Read more about the directory on our How to Update your Directory Profile page.