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College Advancement and Public Relations

10:04:00 Marketing and Communications Policy
  1. Purpose
  1. Effective marketing and communication are crucial to ChattState’s capacity to attract and retain exceptional students, faculty, and staff, to secure resources for its fundamental mission, and to preserve the support and backing of vital stakeholders such as students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, legislators, and the general public. This policy is intended to be an overarching marketing and communication policy and seeks to align marketing and communication efforts with ChattState’s utmost standards in quality.
  1. Definitions
  1. College - For the purpose of this policy, “College” refers to Chattanooga State Community College, and its organizational units, programs, and initiatives including the Technical College of Applied Technology, Chattanooga. Chattanooga State Community College is the Primary Brand of the College. Chattanooga State and ChattState (as one word, uppercase “S”) are acceptable uses.
  2. Director of Marketing & Communications - The College’s Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC), who reports to the Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations (VPCAPR), is the responsible authority for directing the formulation, implementation, and management of the College’s marketing, advertising, and communications strategies and efforts, and is designated as CMO. To ensure alignment with the College’s vision, mission, purpose, and values, the DMC will work closely with the President, VPCAPR, and other key stakeholders to seek approval or provide consultation on specific strategic decisions or policy matters as outlined herein.
  3. Spokesperson - The College Spokesperson is the Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations (VPCAPR) who supervises the DMC and oversees public relations and coordinating media requests for interviews. If contacted by the media as a college representative, you should refer them to the VPCAPR.
  1. Policy/Guideline
  1. Marketing and Communications
    1. The Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC) and/or one designee from the Marketing and Communication department shall sit on the TBR Council of Marketers and Communicators the advising- only, non- binding council. See TBR Policy Marketing and Communications 9.01.00.0 I.
    2. The College President or VPCAPR shall appoint a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), regardless of official College titles. Marketing and communications materials for ChattState shall comply with all marketing and communications-related policies.
    3. The DMC, or their designee, must review and approve materials intended for external audiences as outlined in all marketing and communications policies (the advertising policy, branding policy, social media policy, publications policy, website policy, and mass communications policy).
    4. External marketing and communications consultants or contracts for marketing and communications-related services, including advertising, may be retained only with the prior approval of the DMC, and must work through the Marketing Department, regardless of funding source. This request does not replace or override the existing contract routing process through the Contracts Office and the President’s approval
    5. To ensure efficient tracking, prioritization, and completion of requests, the Marketing and Communications Department uses an online work request system that must be used for all marketing requests.
  2. Endorsements
    1. Direct or indirect, implied or inferred institutional endorsement of a product, service, or company is prohibited.
      1. The identification of an individual’s relationship to the College is permitted.
      2. Companies and/or products that support the College or offer discounts offered to students, faculty, staff, or the campus community may be listed, provided such listing does not state or imply endorsement.
    2. Businesses selling officially licensed College products may use those products in their advertising. There must be no implication that the College endorses the business beyond having the ability to sell officially licensed products. A statement such as “selling officially licensed [College Name] products” may be used.
  3. Communications and Public Relations
    1. The Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations (VPCAPR) is the official College spokesperson. The President, Spokesperson, and their designee(s) are the only persons authorized to initiate communications with or respond to news media on behalf of the College, including media releases, public notices, and interviews.
    2. Media Relations, writing and distribution of news releases on behalf of Chattanooga State must be coordinated through the Marketing and Communications Department.
      1. If a College employee is contacted by the media for an interview as a college representative, you must refer them to the VPCAPR to ensure consistent and accurate communication.
    3. The College has a crisis communications plan, which includes providing appropriate and timely notice to System Office personnel during a crisis.
      1. The plan is reviewed and updated annually to remain current and effective.
  4. Exceptions and Exemptions to Marketing and Communications Policies
    1. At the direction of the President, the Vice President of Student Affairs or the VPCAPR may appoint an employee/s to act as a designee for athletic-related marketing and public relations, who will collaborate with the DMC and Marketing and Communications Department. The designee(s) would act as spokesperson for Athletics and is expected to comply with all policies.
    2. Marketing and communications policies do not apply to instructional materials, student newspapers, yearbooks, research-related publications, research reports, work processing forms, job postings, and auxiliary operations. Still, they are expected to comply with the intent of the policies in representing the College’s established marketing, branding, and communications guidelines.
    3. The DMC and/or VPCAPR must approve all other exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
    4. The DMC and/or VPCAPR may delegate authority outlined in any marketing and communication policy to a subordinate.
    5. In rare and unusual circumstances, the System Chief Marketing Officer and System Spokesperson have the authority to act, in their respective capacities, on behalf of any College when deemed necessary for the betterment of the System.

Source

TBR Policy, Marketing and Communications 9.01.00.00

 

Submitted to Policy Review Committee on February 28, 2025

Submitted to Policy Review Board on April 11, 2025

Updates approved by Policy Review Board on May 7, 2025

 

Submitted to Policy Review Committee: June 14, 2019

Submitted to Policy Review Board: July 22, 2019

Approved by Policy Review Board: July 31, 2019