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About the Conference

Public relations and marketing professionals are confronting enormous challenges during these very difficult times.

Looking UP When Things are DOWN will offer attendees advice and information about how to effectively deal with both the challenges and opportunities presented by the current public higher education climate.

Your university colleagues on the planning committee have created a dynamic program while keeping in mind the need for a reasonable registration fee.

This conference is designed especially for senior public relations and marketing professionals at schools that are members of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. In addition to professional development sessions, the conference offers an opportunity to network with your colleagues from similar schools around the country.

Program


MONDAY, MARCH 8
8:00 – 8:45 a.m.  

Registration
8:45 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome & Introductions
9:15 – 10:30

Jon GordonThe Shark and The Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change

Now more than ever fear and uncertainty are becoming staples of daily life. During changing times, it’s easy to worry, give up, and let fear paralyze you. However, you have more control than you think you do, and how you handle adversity is your choice—the only choice that matters. Many successful people and businesses have grown to prominence during even the worst recessions and downturns. These successful people and organizations all shared similar characteristics and took similar actions to thrive while others merely tried to survive. Gordon will tell attendees how they can do the same.

Presenter: Jon Gordon, The Jon Gordon Companies, speaker, consultant and author.

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10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – Noon

Travis Reindl Navigating New Terrain: Messaging for State Colleges and Universities in 2010
Messages that resonate with target audiences must be sensitive to their issues, concerns, and perceptions. So what is currently on the minds of policymakers and the public when it comes to higher education? A veteran higher education analyst and communications consultant will share new research about shifting opinion trends and discuss what that means for shaping and delivering your institution’s message.

Presenter: Travis Reindl, State Policy and Campaigns Director at CommunicationWorks, L.L.C.

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Noon – 1:00 Networking Lunch
1:15 – 2:30

Pat Ford How to Effectively Leverage and Maximize Your Public Relations Skills During a Down Time

Presenter: Patrick Ford, President and Chief Executive Officer, USA Burson-Marsteller

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2:30 – 3:30

Successful Campus Public Relations and Marketing Initiatives During Down Times

Panelists from AASCU Universities:

Jeanette DeDiemar, Executive Director, Integrated Marketing and Communications, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Grant J. Heston, Assistant Vice President, News and Information, University of Central Florida; Jeremy Ross, Associate Vice President for University Advancement, East Tennessee State.
4 p.m.

Tour of C-Span

In addition to the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to talk with C-Span officials about how to work with this cable network.
Evening Dinner on Your Own
   
TUESDAY, MARCH 9
8:00 – 9:00

Moderated Roundtable Discussions & Buffet Breakfast

Getting Social with Social Media

Tubing Down the YouTube River: Placing videos on YouTube may be new to some universities, while others are experts in using it as a medium for recruitment marketing, brand visibility, athletics promotions and issues management. What is your institution doing and how are you utilizing video vignettes on YouTube? Share your broadcast experiences with your colleagues.  

The Twilight of the Twittersphere: Popularity of and best practices for Twitter are helping universities stay on the edge in communicating campus happenings and reaching out to alumni and friends. Has Twitter really become as popular as the latest Twilight movie? Learn from colleagues whether Twitter is right for your institution by discussing upkeep, personnel, audience and topics that work for this instantly gratifying medium.  

The Two Faces of Facebook: Are you a friend or a fan? Share your experiences and learn from others on how Facebook has evolved to support marketing, brand management, alumni relationships, parent connections and student recruitment at your university. Let’s talk the details and bring your PDAs for some quick mobile uploads.

From Grassroots to Washington: Grassroots advocacy programs that utilize electronic platforms.
9:15 – 10:30

Diane Auer JonesSunshine in the Middle of a Rainstorm

How do you deliver a positive message despite a down economy and bad news stories about grad and retention rates, cohort default rates, and questionable accountability practices. Auer Jones will also talk about institutional accountability from a policy maker’s perspective that helps universities determine how to deal with public calls for accountability.

Presenter: Diane Auer Jones, President, The Washington Campus.

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10:30 – 11:45

Diane Auer Jones Teaching Troubled Students: What Public Relations Professionals Should Know about Law and Policy Perspectives

How are colleges and universities responding to troubled students after rampage shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois Universities? This session will provide updated information about rates of depression and suicide on campus; the legal protections given to students with mental disabilities; and the rapid implementation of campus threat assessment teams nationwide.

Presenter: Gary Pavela, Specialist, Higher Education Law & Policy.

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Noon – 1:00 Networking Lunch
1:15 – 2:30

Opportunities for Higher Education During Tough Economic Times as Viewed by the News Media

Panelists: Kim Clark, Education Writer, U.S. News and World Report; Sara Hebel, Senior Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Doug Lederman, Editor, Inside Higher Education; Mary Beth Marklein, Education Reporter, USA Today.
2:30 – 2:45 Break
2:45 – 3:45

Valerie LopezTaking the Web 2.0 Plunge: Diving into Social Media

Whether you’re a skeptic or a newcomer, this session will introduce you to the vast sea of social media. 

From YouTube and Facebook to Digg and Twitter, determine which social media sites best fit into—and help you streamline—your communications plan.  

This session will offer advice on how to effectively engage in social media and how to perfect social media campaigns with new strategies for more targeted, results-driven engagement.  In addition, you’ll learn tips to help you make sense of social media metrics.  Finally, this session will help you: determine where your campaign will be most successful in the media mix; find insight into current trends in traditional media; and explore ways to save time by reaching out across media platforms.

Presenter: Valerie Lopez, Director, Media Research, Cision US

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3:45 – 4:00 Conference Wrap-up

Registration Fees

    Registration fee for the conference is $460. Cost covers all conference activities including breakfast, two lunches and transportation to C-Span event.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

Cancellations received in writing by noon, March 1, 2009 will be fully refunded. After March 1 a $150 cancellation fee will be charged and deducted from all refunds. Cancellations received after March 5 forfeit the full registration fee.

Registration Information:

Please select among the two options below.

Express Online Registration. (Available to all individuals who have either attended the Communications Conference in the past or who have had contact with AASCU in the past).

 Register Online
Register via the downloadable registration form, to be mailed or faxed in. (Required for those who have not attended the conference in the past or who have not had contact with AASCU in the past). Download Form (pdf)
Registration assistance:
Shirley Dockett, 202-478-4663 or email docketts@aascu.org		  


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