Running One MIIS Communications June 2, 2009

Defining the role of Communications within One MIIS Seeks to position the Institute as a leader in international graduate education through the strategic delivery of audience-appropriate messages Audiences include the media, the general public, the local and regional community, potential supporters, alumni, prospective and current students, faculty, staff Messages take many forms; your brand is 24/7/365 Strategy, priorities, and message content determined through collaboration with Institute leadership team

Assumptions re: reorganization Reorganization affects a wide range of internal and external audiences and requires explanation Reorganization shifts faculty and staff roles, and requires consistent internal communications, as well as engagement with campus community to ensure stories continue to flow forward Reorganization also creates a broad range of opportunities to tell new stories about students, faculty, and staff to external audiences

Assumptions re: integration Integration will require increased consistency in both messaging and brand identity between MIIS and Middlebury Integration may provide an enlarged pool of professional communications resources for both parties to draw on, depending on workload However, integration will not reduce workload or alter external environment for either – so, communication will be constant, while collaboration will be strategic

Reorganization & integration by functional area External Communications Internal Communications Web Communications  Opportunities & challenges

External Communications Media / General Public Extended Campus Community (students, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters, prospective students, families, friends, potential employers) Local Monterey Region

External – Media / General Public Reorganization  New story opportunities  Uniqueness of reorg / integration combination is a story in itself – case study suggested by WASC Integration  MIIS-Midd coordination on key media opportunities  Steady communication  consistency of messaging  Crisis communications plan  Cultural differences – resources, media markets

External – Extended Campus Community Reorganization  Coordinated messaging between President, Provost, IA, Finance and other campus leaders to ensure clarity and consistency  Take advantage of continuing evolution to invest broader campus community in excitement of changes here Integration  Look for and communicate compelling MIIS-Midd stories (ex: Communique)  Find leverage points to produce positive outcomes benefitting both MIIS and Midd (ex: environmental journalism panel)

External – Local Monterey Region Reorganization and Integration  A new story to tell = a new opportunity for engagement  Focus on the uniqueness of MIIS (vs. NPS, DLI) and how reorganization and integration enhance it  Re: integration, what can Middlebury the community learn from Monterey the community, and vice versa?

Internal Communications Reorganization  Underscores the importance of a robust internal dialogue on multiple channels  Flow of information will contribute to the outcome of reorganization – a continuous process of explanation, consensus-building, coordination and direction Integration  An opportunity to compare strategies and learn from one another  Further defines the differences between the two campuses; what works in one environment may not in the other  Our experiences may offer lessons for Schools Abroad and Language Schools, and vice versa (nesting dolls)

Web Communications Reorganization  An opportunity to rethink our Web site from the user’s perspective Integration  An opportunity to achieve real synergy as we pool both internal and external resources, and deliver a leap ahead for both MIIS and Midd  New Web sites will offer community building opportunities for both campuses, and between them

Conclusions Reorganization & integration are great opportunities to engage (in some cases re-engage) audiences with interesting new stories Collaboration within MIIS and between MIIS & Midd in the realm of communications will undoubtedly continue, but all parties will need to stay vigilant to make sure connections and information flows remain strong, and weak spots are identified and addressed quickly Formalization of processes and procedures will be necessary for highly time-sensitive elements such as crisis communications