It’s May 15, and most juniors and seniors in my program are settling in at their summer internships. If past is prologue, more than 85% of our PR majors are earning a paycheck at or above $8 an hour. Most of these interns also are earning 1 academic credit for the internship and paying around $500 for that credit. Continue reading
A final word on the Kent State ‘secret search’
As a hardcore utilitarian, I can’t complain much about Kent State’s decision to conduct its presidential search in secret. After all, utilitarians focus on consequences and outcomes — the greatest good for the greatest number. When this “secret search” ended, the outcome was a good one. We like this new president and wish her good fortune.
Nevertheless, I was compelled to criticize the process because it violated the university’s own policies on transparency and likely violated the Ohio open-records laws. The end does not justify the means. Continue reading
Kent State J-faculty joins protest over ‘secret search’
I’m pleased to join my colleagues in a high-profile protest against the secret presidential search conducted at Kent State over the past year. This full page ad will run in tomorrow’s Daily Kent Stater. My original post on the topic appeared April 1.
There’s a simple PR lesson in this case: The business of public institutions is public. Next to the ad I’ve posted links to some local news coverage from earlier today.
(Click to enlarge the visual.)
A conference that was too good to tweet #YouToo2014
Yesterday I attended the 7th Annual YouToo Social Media Conference at Kent State — right down the hall from my office. The organizers, as always, did A+ work in attracting great presenters who focused on important and timely topics. I won’t offer individual shout-outs here, as I would surely leave someone out. I will offer a special thanks to our two keynoters, Andrea Weckerle and Danny Brown. Continue reading
The Secret Society of Kent State
Update 4/13/14: Latest news story reveals a tale that’s turning downright Nixonian, including shredding of documents that belong in the public domain. I’m embarrassed that so few within the KSU community are going public with their outrage and just as troubled that I must.
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At Kent State, we kinda wish the last few weeks were an April Fool’s Day joke. Four times since March 12, our university has been in the headlines, each time owing to the administration’s failure to comply with public-records law.
Why all the secrecy? That’s what reporters from the Akron Beacon Journal have been asking for months. After all, Kent State is state-supported institution, which means we’re not exempt from sunshine laws. Like it or not, our business is the public’s business. Continue reading
Can PR Change the World? Why the hell not?
Hardly a day goes by that a Facebook friend or Twitter follower doesn’t link with pride to positive coverage earned for an employer/client. PR people are experts at securing news coverage for clients. We’ve learned all the tricks of media manipulation, and we can manufacture news on a moment’s notice. Continue reading
Will Elk Creek spill trigger change? Color me skeptical
In a world where justice truly mattered, the Elk Creek chemical spill last week would be labeled a “triggering event.” It would first trigger indignation — and it has. But after the indignation, it would lead to much-needed change to a system that is ineffective and corrupt. Continue reading
Thank you, Mrs. McJunkin
I don’t remember much about Wilma McJunkin, my fifth-grade teach at Eisenhower Elementary. But I do know is that she changed my life with one simple decision.
Fifty years ago this month, Mrs. McJunkin volunteered her class to perform a radio play that would be recorded for broadcast on our local station, WDAD. It was a play about America’s founding fathers — a story laced with all sorts of patriotic themes, like most grade-school lessons of the era. Continue reading
Christie and the PR Apologia
A Facebook friend yesterday called Chris Christie’s apology a perfect example of transparency. Another called it the Sgt. Schultz defense.
ToughSledding on the road ahead — send money!
Hey. It’s been a while.
Not that I didn’t have a lot to say these past few months. I always do. But 2013 was one of those years when nothing went right for me professionally. So after this post on March 3, I decided it was time to STFU. You got your troubles, I got mine. Continue reading