Forum First Thursday Mixer 12/02/2010

According to weather.com, the "fitness comfort" quotient for December 2, 2010 is at level 2 or "uncomfortable." Sunset, they also report, is set to occur at 4:32 pm.


So, why not beat the dark and join other Forum members for riveting repartee in a comfortable, well-lit establishment such as the U of M's own Campus Club?



The event is the Communicators Forum First Thursday Mixer and starts at 4:30 p.m. this Thursday. We are sure to bring the "fitness comfort" level up to at least 3!



See you there!

U's "Driven to Discover" campaign cited in WSJ

Congratulations to the U's marketing department! The latest round of Driven to Discover was highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article on college advertising campaigns, where Minnesota was called "the national champion of self-promotion."

What did WSJ find so impressive?

"The ad that graded the highest overall was Minnesota's. The ad features
Massoud Amin, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, who
talks about the importance of creating a better power grid. Our
panelists liked the ad because it was about academics. They also thought
it conveyed messages about research and diversity without beating the
viewer over the head with them."

Consider the Lobster: U style guides

In case you missed it, yesterday's spirited debate about the U's style guide (or, rather, the recent suspension and current lack thereof) was about the best thing I've seen come through the esteemed Forum listserv. For others, it was probably boring and totally irrelevant.

We heard such gems and various arguments as

"Why maintain a separate manual if publishers produce industry-standard ones like Chicago or AP?" And,

"I would think that if we all use the same PMS for our maroons and golds, we should certainly be united in whether or not we serial comma and at what point we switch to numbers instead of text." Or,

"To abandon a standard is, to me, tantamount to saying we can spell words any way we want."
---------------
It's a debate that's been had by the finest minds of the millennium, and really, since the beginning of language.

No one captures that debate in totality better than David Foster Wallace, in his 2001 essay for Harper's Magazine, "Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage." This later appeared in his book of essays, Consider the lobster--hence the title of this post. It's 50+ pages of mind-blowing philosophy on language, and it's totally interesting and readable. The genius who wrote Infinite Jest could probably tell tales of melting butter in a way that would leave your mouth watering and mind numb, but this essay is apropos to the listserv tug-o-war.

Wallace begins, "Did you know that probing the seamy underbelly of U.S. lexicography reveals ideological strife and controversy and intrigue and nastiness and fervor on a nearly hanging-chad scale? For instance, did you know that some modern dictionaries are notoriously liberal and others notoriously conservative, and that certain conservative dictionaries were actually conceived and designed as corrective responses to the "corruption" and "permissiveness" of certain liberal dictionaries?"

Wallace goes on to divide the groups, as is our American way, into two competitive factions: the Prescriptivists vs. the Descriptivists. He defines Descriptivists using the colloquial term, SNOOT (and not derogatorily, for in the end he is more a SNOOT than not), defined by Wallace as "somebody who knows what dysphemism means and doesn't mind letting you know it."

Officially, the definitions are thus:
1. Descriptive grammar: the systematic study and description of a language. Descriptive grammar refers to the structure of a language as it is actually used by speakers and writers.
2. Prescriptive grammar: a set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures of a language, usually intended as an aid to the learning of that language. Prescriptive grammar refers to the structure of a language as certain people think it should be used.

From About.com: Both kinds of grammar are concerned with rules--but in different ways. Specialists in descriptive grammar (linguists) study the rules or patterns that underlie our use of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. On the other hand, prescriptive grammarians (such as most editors and teachers) lay out rules about what they believe to be the "correct" or "incorrect" use of language.

Officially, there is no longer any particular writing style that is required use for University communications. These are the only requirements specific to the U. Colleges and units are free to choose a style (AP/Chicago) that is appropriate for their project.

So, where do you fall on the battleground, amidst the blood of words and the screams of lobsters?

Reminder: Video program today

Don't forget to escape your desk this afternoon and come to this month's program in 101 Walter Library, 3 p.m. 

Who wrote this?

A well-intentioned department wants its own newsletter/email/(insert random project here), but there's no one in-house to create it. What is a communicator to do? In the days of tiny budgets and shrinking staff, a solution to meeting your organization's needs is not easy to come by.

Some organizations and nonprofits have turned to using a content provider to fill in the gaps. In some cases the content provider just supplies generic text on a predetermined topic. In other cases, they provide copy and design services for client newsletters and webpages.

The choice to use these companies can help ease the load on existing staff, while still meeting the organization's communication needs. However, this set up also creates a host of other issues.

Who will manage the relationship with the company? Who will ensure your brand and style is represented appropriately? Will the generic content be compelling or suitable to your specific audience?

I wanted to see what Forum members think about this. Does anyone have an experience to share? Any tips on working with a content provider?

Member profile: Rebecca Noran

Name: Rebecca Noran

Job title: Assistant Director and Communications Manager
University of Minnesota Extension Center for Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (EFANS)

Which means: I have ideas and I make them happen. Somehow, this involves attending many meetings and chairing many committees. But more importantly it involves the work of many talented people. My role is part administrator for our center, reporting to the associate dean and managing different center initiatives and operations, and part communications manager, with oversight for our web presence, internal communications, telling our story, and other communications efforts... and supervising a great team.

I have been at the University since: Jan. 2, 2001

Areas of expertise: design, proofreading, Minnesota Extension's response to emerald ash borer, First Avenue & 7th St. Entry nightclub, Twin Cities public bathrooms, Shellac concerts, famous people from my hometown of Montclair, NJ, lines from the movies Heathers, The Muppet Movie, and The Big Lebowski

Why are you a Forum member?
Because we need an outlet like this. I have served on the promotion and awards committees, designed materials for the conference, and attended many events over the years -- it is great to have this positive space for University communicators to learn from and connect with each other. I look forward to the conference every year, to see all you smart, talented communicators!

Family members: husband: Jon Dehning (also works at the U, from Decorah, Iowa), parents: Jim and Susan (NJ), siblings: Jason (NJ), Rachel and husband Zak and their sons Ben and Henry (Virginia) -- the rest of them, they are all over the country!

Hobbies:  Boggle, doodling, walking, traveling/exploring, talking to strangers, finding colors that go with maroon and gold

Current favorites: Recent discovery of DVR, making up step aerobics moves at the uptown YWCA, my share at Spring Hill Community Farm, fancy olive oil, is the MFA still the new MBA?

I am passionate about: A good sandwich

People are always surprised to learn that I: was born on Halloween

Why my job matters to my unit and to the University:

Extension is a critical part of the University's land-grant mission -- our job is to make a difference by connecting community needs and University resources to address critical issues in Minnesota. We are a trustworthy source of information for citizens, delivering research-based education that is practical and useful... and hopefully enjoyable!

In my center's content areas, our job is to help people make informed decisions involving topics that impact Minnesota's environment and economy -- such as water quality, food safety, renewable energy, climate and weather, feeding a growing population, invasive species, yard and garden, housing technology, nature-engaged families, woodlands management, pesticide safety, and many more important societal issues.

My administrative role is to further this important work by developing and managing administrative efforts that support effective and efficient programming -- such as bridging collaboration between our Extension educators and tenured/tenure-track faculty in CFANS, aiding our interdisciplinary programming efforts, streamlining our processes, so that our educators and researchers can focus on their programming.

Extension is an externally focused unit, and communications plays a key role in our success. As the communications manager for EFANS, I bring professional communications expertise and experience, providing consultations on communications strategy and practices to our employees. My job is to raise the bar on our communications, and to help our employees find the best method to reach their audience and achieve their goals, pushing them to think differently when appropriate -- to innovate not just in extreme ways but everyday ways. I help my colleagues in Extension to do this by overseeing aspects of projects like a large-scale redesign of our web presence (bringing our 50+ websites into one website), creating professional quality templates for staff to use with a consistent University identity, partnering with programs on educational materials and decision-making tools across media and delivery methods.

Our employees are located throughout the state, so our internal communications work is key, and includes a quarterly webinar where we feature different successes of our program teams from which others can learn. Telling the story of Extension's impact is important for our continued funding at the federal, state and local levels; as communicators we package our stories in a memorable way, following leads to generate the content and images that will resonate with our stakeholders and convey the impact of our work.

As a well-rounded communicator I know things like what makes type more or less legible, how to spec jobs for printers, how to find the right online tool for just about anything, what are the trends in usability, what makes good B-roll, where you should put your commas if you follow Chicago or AP style.

But the greatest value I bring to my unit and the U is not written into my job description. It is a role most communicators and design thinkers do well: Catalyst. To ask questions and try new approaches. To embrace change. To think about the people who will use what I create and to learn from them. To foster community. To set the bar high for professional quality communications. To make things happen, and to take an iterative approach to getting things done -- so that they really get done. To have a sense of humor and bring energy to the conversation. To explore the ideas that may seem weird but may be just the answer. To not be afraid to try. This is what helps push our work forward as a university.

Watching my fingers dance across the keyboard

I'm editing my department's newsletter today, and going through the spell-check. I'm constantly surprised at how often I mis-type certain words.

This is not the same as mis-spelling certain words. Like many people, I have to remind myself of the "i before e except after c" rule when I spell words like "receive." In another case this week, I was writing a story and, for the life of me, I could not remember how to spell "drought." Was it "draught?" Nope, that's British. It couldn't be "drout," that just looked wrong. I had to look it up and then slap my forehead afterward, trying to get my brain back on track.

Mis-typed words are another case. I can't tell you how often I review an email and find a "teh" for "the." Or how about those sneaky snafus that the spell check doesn't get, like typing "form" for "from?" Personally, I am consistently amazed that, after two years of working at a university, I type "univeristy" almost every time. Grrr.

Well, what about you? Which words trip you up when you type? 

Zombie art, hip-hop, health care reform, oh my!

I'm going to use today's post for a little crossover promotion of the U-wide publication I edit, Brief. Almost a year ago now, I began a column in Brief called Preview/Review (appearing every 2 weeks), which, as you might surmise from the title, offers a review (usually just 1, maybe 2) and many previews (up to 10) of events happening on the Twin Cities campuses over the coming two weeks or so.

My thought in starting the column was to highlight the incredible variety (see title of post) of events happening every day at UMTC. I also wanted to engage readers, and so the column offers an open invitation to faculty and staff to contribute; so far, I've had a few takers, but I'd love to get more.

I've also established a few (flexible) guidelines to get the most out of the column, foremost of which is to have fun with the writing.

Other guidelines:

Events must be on the TC campus

Events should not have previously appeared in Brief.

Events should help to make the U more accessible to, and encourage connections among, faculty and staff.

Reviews of events that offer a link to more information from the event, such as a live recording or materials from the presentation, will be favored over those without more information.

Free events will be favored over pay events.

Events should have interesting and snappy descriptions, and be a little offbeat (according to the editor's admittedly subjective idea of offbeat). For example, the "27th annual..." anything will likely not be included.

Events should be sponsored by or directly involve faculty/staff and appeal to faculty/staff.

If you have a TC event you want to rave about, let me know.

Ode to a Typeface

This is fantastic and fun. You'll never look at Neutraface the same: Neutra Face : An Ode On A Typeface (A Bearded Poker Face Parody).

Food and drinks anyone?

It's the first Thursday of the month, which means its time for another Communicators Forum happy hour! Join us today in the Campus Club (the only bar on campus) at 4:30pm. Complimentary appetizers will be provided. 

HumorIs

Note: I generally hate anything about prescriptive humor, especially in the workplace...but what the hell.

Somebody once said to me, long ago, that the shortest distance between person A and person B is humor. It was the sort of math I could relate to, and I've never forgotten the sentiment. When it comes to communication, I use humor when I can.

Last weekend I went to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC. If there are two people in our time who've truly mastered humor in communication, it's Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Their humor makes them tolerable to people of both (all/most) political persuasions, although I'm sure a majority of viewers lean liberal. The point is, humor is a bridge, and sometimes it's the quickest way to get you where you want to go.

I did a little research to see if I could find anything credible on humor in communication, and found someone with a Dr. suffix. That's good enough for me.

The good Dr. had a few basic rules for humor in the workplace, and I've pulled out one section in particular that may be applicable for many of us:

Basic Rules for Using Humor in Talks and Meetings
1) Be sure the humor is relevant to the point you need to make.

We've all seen people in meetings tell jokes or anecdotes that have no bearing on the issue at hand. We're left trying to figure out the point of the joke, which assures we'll miss any important information provided during that time. Irrelevant humor is distracting, and may even be annoying.

2) Remember the sandwich approach.

Make your point, then illustrate it with humor, and then remake the point again. The final reminder of the point is not always necessary, but helps assure that your audience doesn't go away remembering only the joke.

He also had a few facts from scientific studies (though I didn't go so far as to verify methodology):

• Research examining the dynamics of humor in task-oriented meetings suggests that it can play the pivotal role in moving the group toward a consensual solution to a problem.
  

• While the early joking emphasized the differences between people at the meeting (and was sometimes disparaging), this mid-meeting humor drew people together and led to smoother interactions as differences were discussed.
  

I wonder if the new congress will find a way to work together? Not too many people are laughing these days. The country faces serious issues. People are out of work. The U has a tough road, too--we all do. Someone make me laugh, please.

Links:
Humor in communication
Humor in the Workplace

Today is the Day to Communicate

As the official "Blogger-at-Large" of the Communicators Forum Board, I will now share with you my very first blog... ever. This may not seem like a big deal to many, but it is to me. So, to quote the great philosopher and muse Glenn Frey "the heat is on." I feel I must enter here, however, a disclaimer: Any grammatical or punctuative errors may be the result of the writer's inexperience and lack of recent necessity to compose anything other than emails, text messages in T-9 format and statuses on Facebook. There... administrative work out of the way, now, on to the blog.

Today, I am sure you are aware, is Election Day. The glut of negative ads in the media and calls from various campaigns remind us of how thankful we all will be when Wednesday, November 3, 2010 finally arrives. Now, I do realize that this blog is for the Communicators Forum. I also realize I do not need to explain why I chose this topic other than timeliness, but I feel that voting is an extremely important form of communication. Hence, the topic AND timeliness seem to be ideal for this blog, eh?

I decided, subsequently, to look up some definitions. So, I went back to the basics... literally. I opened my Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary Unabridged Second Edition Deluxe Color, Copyright © 1979. (It was a high school graduation gift from a family friend whose name I forgot many years ago.) I did look up these same words on line, but I must admit that it seemed too sterile for my first blog. It feels good to have this behemoth-sized book in my lap, too, like an old friend. Sigh.

Sorry. I digress. On to the definitions.

So, there nestled on the page somewhere between "vomiting" and "vouchsafement" lies "vote." Among the many forms, definitions, origins, I highlight here:

vote - to express or signify the mind, will, or preference in a matter by voice, ballot, etc; to vote conscientiously

and

vote - Latin votum, a wish originally a vow.

This then led me to

vow (found between "voudoo" and "vulnerary" on page 2051) which means to declare emphatically, earnestly or solemnly

and

voice - to nominate; to adjuge by vote; to vote or give one's opinion

and, finally a non-"v" word

communicate - to impart to another or others; to make known.

I realize that this isn't an English lesson, or maybe it is, but all of this takes me to what really needs to be said.

Today is the day when all who have a voice should communicate his or her wishes, preferences by voting. Not many countries give their citizens the same rights that we are afforded. By voting we are sharing our desires and wishes, though not necessarily in unison, as one large voice.

Regardless, whether you learned about the election process in ninth grade political science class or from Schoolhouse Rock, your voice matters.

Now, if you haven't already today, go vote.