Trustees focus on public relations

The relationship between athletics and academics, sexual assault on campus and the recent data breach that exposed more than 6,500 employees and students might seem like issues that have nothing in common.

But UNC’s response to these crises mattered to the Board of Trustees members when they met Wednesday.

UNC has placed an added emphasis on public relations this year, creating the Board of Trustees’ external relations committee as well as hiring Vice Chancellor for Communications and Public Affairs Joel Curran.

Curran, in his first presentation to the board’s external relations committee Wednesday, said he’s had a busy seven weeks since starting in his position. He said he is working throughout the University’s expansive network of public relations officials to create and enhance UNC’s brand.

He said UNC must expand its platforms for communicating with the public — such as photo and video — and its audiences.

“The storytelling is going to fit inside a large and robust strategic plan,” he said. “The strategic plan will be nestled under a brand architecture, which begins with the chancellor’s vision.”

Curran said he expects to present a strategic plan to Folt this spring.

“We can do something really important and special,” he said. “We need that rallying point — and a really strong brand should do that. We need to engage key pockets of influence.”

The themes of Curran’s statement to the board were also present throughout the meeting.

Though the board members never outright discussed the recent CNN story in which reading specialist Mary Willingham claimed 183 student-athletes were not college literate, the board did briefly discuss athletics.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Jim Dean told members that the Student-Athlete Academic Initiative Working Group was making progress on evaluating the 22 policies associated with athletics. The group has discussed nine so far, he said.

“Sometimes that good work gets lost,” said board member Alston Gardner.

Members also listened to a presentation about UNC’s response to sexual assault on campus. Five campus positions have been created in the last year to handle sexual assault, and UNC hired its first Title IX Coordinator, Howard Kallem, earlier this month.

“Is there a perception that we’ve placed a high enough emphasis on this issue?” said board member Steve Lerner. “What’s the best way for us to get answers, address those issues? What’s the black eye?”

Student Body President Christy Lambden said students were eager to see the results of UNC’s Sexual Assault Task Force, which is rewriting the University’s policies on sexual assault. He said the group should present its recommendations this spring — the group had hoped to finish its work before the fall semester.

“Certainly I’m incredibly satisfied with the University,” he said.

And it isn’t just highly publicized scandals that are impacted by messaging.

Employee Forum Chairman Charles Streeter said employees were disappointed by the University’s response to a data breach that affected more than 6,500 employees and students.

When the University first notified the community about the data breach, many did not see the announcement or realize what had happened, Streeter said.

“They want accountability from the administration and person responsible. There’s nothing like that person-to-person communication.”

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