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Policy and Procedure Statements

IT/PPS 06.01 - Information Technology Division Communications Standards and Procedures

Information Technology Division Communications Standards and Procedures

IT/PPS No. 06.01
Issue No. 2
Effective Date: 3/02/2023
Next Review Date: 3/01/2024 (EY)
Sr. Reviewer: Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to continuously improving the delivery of information within budget, on schedule, and in such a way as to best contribute to accomplishing the university’s strategic mission.

  1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

    1. This policy outlines the formal Information Technology (IT) marketing and communications standards and procedures.

    2. The Division of IT is comprised of multiple units, each of which contains a staff member charged with coordinating communication in their area.

    3. There are two official brands within the division:

      1. Division of IT; and

      2. IT Assistance Center.

      All other brand decisions shall be approved by IT Marketing and Communications.

    4. There are recognized sub-brands within the division which support the major brand with which they are aligned. Sub-brands include:

      1. Information Security Office;

      2. Technology Innovation Office; and

      3. TXST Mobile.

    5. The IT Marketing and Communications team is responsible for the overall brand and image of the division.

  2. STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES

    1. Division of IT Websites

      1. There are numerous websites maintained by units within the Division of IT. The IT Marketing and Communications department head shall be granted administrative access to all division websites to provide design, content overview, and assistance as needed.

      2. Day-to-day maintenance of unit websites is the responsibility of the unit itself. Only in emergency situations shall the IT Marketing and Communications department head revise websites, and only after alerting the unit’s AVP or equivalent.

    2. Social Media Accounts

      1. Various social media accounts exist for units within the division. New account requests must be approved by IT Marketing and Communications.

      2. Social Media account credentials must be shared via LastPass with the IT Marketing and Communications department head. Accounts will only be accessed in emergency situations.

    3. Blogs

      1. The DOIT blog is the official blog for the division and is maintained by the IT Marketing and Communications team. Anyone within the division can contribute to the DOIT blog by submitting draft posts to the IT Marketing and Communications team via the request form.

      2. New blog sites must be approved by IT Marketing and Communications.

    4. Email

      1. Email is considered the official means of communication from the Division of IT to the Texas State community. The Division of IT utilizes an email marketing tool to enhance the visual appeal of email communications and track email metrics. The following standards shall be adhered to when sending emails from units within the Division of IT through the email marketing tool:

        1. a draft of the communication shall be provided to the IT Marketing and Communications team for editing and awareness purposes.

      2. Emails from units within the Division of IT sent to a conscribed list (e.g., all faculty, current students, all staff) regardless of email method, shall:

        1. have a courtesy copy sent to the IT Marketing and Communications team at itmarketing@txstate.edu prior to sending; and

        2. follow all Conscribed List Guidelines.

      3. No new unit-level email boxes for communication efforts shall be created without IT Marketing and Communications approval.

      4. The Division of IT operates under university rules for communications during a disaster or emergency. The rules for communication in those situations are outlined in UPPS No. 05.04.03, Emergency Operations. In any case of a major emergency, IT Division staff should not communicate with campus outside of the clearly stated procedures outlined in UPPS No. 05.04.03, Emergency Operations.

      5. On occasion, messages from the IT Division must be sent to campus to alert the Texas State community of unplanned service interruptions, network outages, address potential threats, and other urgent and timely communications. When events occur which necessitate quickened protocols, the area’s staff member charged with communications shall be the primary point of contact. In the case of information technology that is temporarily failing, a system has been implemented in which standard messages have been created and can be sent by the ITAC communications lead. Those messages utilize a standard format and must be sent “without significant delay,” as stated in IT/PPS No. 04.11, Information Technology Division Unplanned Service Interruption Communication.

    5. Promotional Materials

      Materials offered or distributed during promotional, informational, educational, or social events representing the Division of IT, or its constituents, shall be approved by IT Marketing and Communications prior to purchase or production.

    6. Service Requests

      Members of the IT division are encouraged to use the services the IT Marketing and Communications team provides. Requests can be submitted via the Marcom Service Request Form. The team will review the request and initiate the next steps in the process.

  3. COMMUNICATIONS AND PROJECT PLANNING

    1. Communication is critical to the success of the many projects the division undertakes each year. It is vital that project managers throughout the division collaborate with the IT Marketing and Communications team to ensure project successes are communicated in the right method. Per IT/PPS No. 04.10, Information Technology Division Project Management:

      1. Tier 1 (Strategic) Projects shall have a communications plan created, driven, and maintained by the IT Marketing and Communications team.

      2. Tier 2 (Key) Projects shall have a communications plan created by the unit’s communications staff and approved by the IT Marketing and Communications team.

      3. Tier 3 (Local) Projects communication plans shall be left to the discretion of the unit’s AVP, or equivalent.

    2. Budgeting for marketing and communication must cover promotional products (e.g., print media, events) for Tier 1 and 2 projects and shall be included in the project charter. The project manager and sponsor should consult with IT Marketing and Communications regarding budget needs.

  4. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

    1. Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

      PositionDate
      Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information TechnologyMarch 1 EY
      Associate Vice President, Information Technology Assistance CenterMarch 1 EY
      Director, Information Technology Business Operations/ServicesMarch 1 EY
      Director, Information Technology Business Operations/FinanceMarch 1 EY
      Associate Vice President, Technology Innovation OfficeMarch 1 EY
      Associate Vice President, Technology ResourcesMarch 1 EY
      Chief Information Security OfficerMarch 1 EY
      Executive Assistant, Information TechnologyMarch 1 EY
      Vice President for Information TechnologyMarch 1 EY

  5. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This PPS has been reviewed by the following individuals in their official capacity and represents Texas State Information Technology policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology; senior reviewer of this PPS

    Vice President for Information Technology