Media Policies and Protocols

Clemson’s Media Relations team is authorized to organize and coordinate all University news conferences and plays a critical role in crisis communications and issues management. We also prepare Clemson faculty and administrators for news media interviews and serve as University spokespeople when appropriate. 

As the University’s central media relations program, we strategically time and distribute all (nonathletic) University news releases, feature stories, op-eds and other materials to local, state, national and international media outlets; pitch story ideas and faculty expert sources directly to targeted reporters; and promote upcoming events through daily and weekly media briefings. We maintain extensive media lists — mainstream, trade and targeted — and continually cultivate one-on-one relationships with key editors and reporters. Communications staff in departments and colleges Universitywide coordinate with us to ensure effective communication to all external and constituent media outlets.

We also promote news through University-owned media — such as the Clemson.edu website, ClemsonTV, Inside Clemson, Clemson World and official social media accounts.

We also continually monitor traditional and social media outlets that carry (nonathletic) Clemson news.

The following policies and protocols are based on best practices in journalism and public relations to ensure that the University is viewed by members of the media as a credible source of information and ideas and is responsive to their needs.

• Media Relations' policies will ensure full compliance with appropriate state and federal laws, including:
  • The S.C. Freedom of Information Act, which provides public access to public documents and meetings, unless specifically exempted by the statute.
  • The Family Education Rights and Private Act, which protects certain student information.
  • The Clery Act, which requires that we issue timely warnings to the campus regarding acts of crime that may pose a public danger.

• Media Relations follows the Associated Press style guide.

• Contacting the news media:
  • All proactive contact with members of the press will be coordinated with Media Relations, with the exception of Athletics-related contacts.

• However — we encourage faculty and staff to be responsive to members of the press who may contact them directly. We are happy to provide assistance if desired. EXCEPTION: For sensitive or crisis situations, there is generally a designated spokesperson who should be the only point of contact.

• Development announcements will include the amount of the gift but may omit the identity of the donor if anonymity is requested (and allowable by S.C. FOIA). Donors will have the opportunity to review the release in advance, and timing of the announcement will be scheduled to allow donor participation. All gift announcements require approval from the Development Office (Gifts greater than $500,000 require approval from the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations as well).
  
  

• Research grant announcements must be approved by the primary source of information (faculty member, administrator). Research grant announcements will not be made until the Office of Research has received official notification. The director of sponsored programs approves release of the information when he/she has received the details of the grant contract from the granting agency and ensured we are able to conduct the research. The project also needs additional approval if it involves human-subject testing.

• Releases must be approved by the primary source of information (faculty member, administrator).
  
  
• Grants from the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies must include the information shown in this example: No. (1444552). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Science Foundation