Communication and Presentations/Speeches

This group focuses on strategic issues and tactical challenges that affect IT communications in planning for, during mitigation of, and following an emergency in higher education. Discussion topics include telecommunication infrastructure and electronic services, campus coordination, the role of IT staff, campus drills, funding, security and safety, community awareness, vendors, and information and network policies. The group examines policies, best practices, and lessons learned.

This group addresses the challenge that IT professionals and organizations face in communicating strategically and clearly to user communities, to internal and external constituencies, to campus leadership, and within the IT organization itself. Topics for discussion are broad, ranging from best practices and lessons learned to feedback and/or deconstruction of communications written by participants.

This presentation will explore the challenges that UNC–Wilmington encountered in providing for the broadcast and communication of emergency notification alerts to the at-large campus community. Since the methods of delivery can be diverse (siren, cable broadcast, internet, e-messaging), collaboration across departments was necessary to create this well-rounded solution.

IT organizations are challenged with communicating to various audiences (students, faculty, staff, parents, patients, board members, vendors, community). Discover how the University of Rochester, a decentralized environment, implemented an IT communication plan to address issues. Attendees will gain examples of tools and techniques that can be repurposed to meet their needs.

Liberally paraphrasing the great American war general Dwight Eisenhower, in war, planning is everything; in battle, plans go out the window. Effective crisis communications demand significant planning. Once youre in a crisis event, instinctive reaction and reliance on experience take over. Come to this session to understand Virginia Techs crisis communications response to a tragedy for which no one can prepare.

LSU's IT communications and security officers joined forces to effectively educate campus populations about IT security threats and best practices.

ITS at Mississippi State University has created an efficient and secure online survey instrument used in the university's portal survey channel. The campus portal, onCampus, enables the instrument to be delivered to a precise target population in a secure, stable environment that produces quick, accurate responses.

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!!