Communication

Colleges and universities around the country, ever more mindful of campus safety, are installing outdoor sirens. The systems can blast spoken messages or tone alerts of danger—and one of the preset messages on many of the public-address systems warns: "There is a shooter on campus. Seek shelter immediately."

Using a collaborative model for developing IT projects delivered high-quality results with collateral benefits to the organization .

The rush to use text messaging as an emergency notification system fails to consider the weaknesses and potential hazards of this solution.

Saint Peter’s College responded to a bomb threat and evacuated the campus safely and efficiently thanks to close integration of human systems with IT.

Investigation of recent disasters reveals use of online social media as an emergent, significant, and often accurate form of public participation and backchannel communication.

This July 2008 survey is a critical component of the EDUCAUSE Center on Applied Research (ECAR) study of messaging and communication in higher education. It seeks to understand the provision, policies, use, and emerging trends related to telephony, mobile communications, e-mail and calendaring, and emergency notification systems in colleges and universities.

Citation for this work: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. "Messaging and Communication Survey" (Survey Instrument). Boulder, CO: ECAR, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Understanding communications and developing good communication skills are critical to effective leadership and success across organizations. What styles of interaction are most comfortable for you? How can you adapt them to be effective with others? The keys to good communication are understanding how communication happens, accounting for individual communication styles, learning to diagnose the communication needs of others, and mastering the art of communicating with others in a way that takes into account their communication needs. This interactive seminar will focus on these key elements of communication with opportunities for self-discovery and discussions on adapting your styles to be effective with others.

Reconciling the technical aspects of IT with the basic information your campus community needs doesn't have to be a struggle. Knowing your audience, simplicity, and practice are the basis of a successful communication strategy. This presentation is designed to help IT professionals focus on and identify communication approaches for various audiences and strike a balance between technical details and "need to know" information. Using an interactive format and real-life examples, it will highlight the risks and rewards of IT storytelling.

Community members face a sea of confusion when considering how to use the Internet safely. With the advance of broadband Internet into the homes of millions of Americans, how do we as security professionals guide our communities and protect them from the plagues of cyberspace? Join the Universities of Rochester and Virginia to see how they brought a cybersecurity message to their communities. You can do it, too!!