Promoting Campus News

• SUNY Cortland’s various messaging platforms can be used to promote university news, activities and initiatives. Off-campus events will be considered for promotion if the event is sponsored by or in partnership with a recognized university organization, office or department.
• Sometimes, an upcoming event warrants coverage beyond a calendar listing. This depends on several possible variables, including an event’s size, uniqueness, breadth of possible audience and whether it showcases campus priorities. Communications staff will make that decision, taking into consideration what other events are happening around the same time and the office workload at the time.
• News stories or social media highlights that feature an upcoming event would be done in addition to a calendar posting. A calendar listing should always be your starting point for an event.
• News stories, when written, are always shared in the Bulletin the university’s bi-weekly email newsletter and on the SUNY Cortland website. They may also be shared through SUNY Cortland social media, one of our alumni publications or other Communications Office platforms.
• To suggest a news story, send an email with the basic information and a pitch about why it deserves to be a story to the Communications Office email address. If it is related to an upcoming event, please communicate at least two weeks before its scheduled date.
• Communications Office staff members may need to interview one or more people involved in the event. We will also be looking for photo ideas to illustrate the story.

Website news feed

• All campus-related news stories produced through the Communications Office are published in the campus news webpage.
• In addition, some stories will be selected to be highlighted on SUNY Cortland’s homepage. This decision is made by Communications Office staff, based on factors such as newsworthiness, timeliness, consistency with the university’s priorities and promotional strategy and quality of photo available.
• To suggest a story, send a short email pitch to the Communications Office at communications.office@cortland.edu. It should include the basic details, an explanation of why the story should be publicized, and contact information for you or other involved people.

The Bulletin

• The Bulletin is an online SUNY Cortland newsletter published biweekly for most of the calendar year and sent as an email newsletter to all faculty, staff and students. It contains news stories, calendar items, faculty/staff activities, obituaries and information about campus events.
• Faculty/staff activities is a section of Bulletin that highlights employee accomplishments and achievements. It includes published research and papers, books, conference presentations, awards and recognitions, media mentions and interviews and anything else that speaks to the high quality and impact of our faculty and staff. To submit a faculty/staff activity, please email communications.office@cortland.edu with a short description and any relevant links or documents. Submissions should be received within a week of publication, or we cannot guarantee your item will make it into the next edition.
• Campus Champion is a section of Bulletin that recognizes a faculty or staff member, administrator, student or friend of SUNY Cortland for making a recent contribution to the life of the university.
• The annual publication schedule of The Bulletin, as well as links to already published editions, is available online.

Social media

• The Communications Office manages the university’s primary social media channels. This includes Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and X.
• The office also collaborates closely with the social media accounts of Alumni Engagement, the Admissions Office and the Athletics Department.
• Communications staff members decide what posts to make on SUNY Cortland’s social media channels, but they are open to suggestions. To submit a suggestion, send a short description to communications.office@cortland.edu. The university rarely posts anything on any channel that does not have a strong, engaging visual component.

News releases

• The Communications Office regularly writes, edits and distributes media releases about SUNY Cortland newsworthy subject matter; intercollegiate sporting events; and significant accomplishments of faculty, staff and students to news organizations.
• Almost all these releases are based on stories published on SUNY Cortland’s news feed.
• If you believe a story in the university’s feed should be shared more broadly, send a message to communications.office@cortland.edu. If you are pitching a story related to one of the university’s intercollegiate athletics teams, please direct the message to Fran Elia, SUNY Cortland’s sports information director.

Columns

• This is SUNY Cortland’s biannual alumni magazine, highlighting information about and for the university’s more than 80,000 graduates. It is the official publication of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association.
• The magazine is published in printed form and mailed to Cortland’s most engaged alumni. An online version of the publication Columns is available to all alumni.
• A mainstay of Columns is Class Notes, short updates on accomplishments, job changes, weddings, births and other life benchmarks. Submit a class note online.
• Columns is published in late spring and late fall every year. Content for each issue is set at least two months before publication. The copy deadline is eight weeks prior to each publication.
• To submit an idea for a Columns feature, send a brief pitch to communications.office@cortland.edu.

Red Dragon Tales

• This is SUNY Cortland’s monthly alumni email newsletter featuring alumni news and events.
• To submit an alumni story idea, send information to communications.office@cortland.edu.

Campus entrance lights

• SUNY Cortland participates in awareness campaigns that educate the campus community about various causes through the colors of its entrance sign lights.
• Groups promoting campaigns that have colors associated with it, such as pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, can apply to have the campus entrance sign lights changed during the month of their campaign. The lights are located along Graham Avenue, Route 13 and Route 281.
• For more information, please contact the Communications Office at communications.office@cortland.edu.

Merit Pages

• SUNY Cortland uses Merit Pages to publicize and celebrate student accomplishments such as making the Dean’s or President’s lists, studying abroad, winning a scholarship or being part of an athletic team.
• Learn more from our Merit webpage.