Survey first step to improving effectiveness of campus communication
Communication on campus becomes more accessible every semester.
Information about emergencies, news, upcoming events and other services are found on the Delta College website, or sent to the campus community through email and text alerts.
But does the community really take advantage of communication services?
Administration recently conducted an online survey to answer this question.
The survey asked students and faculty what sources they received information about the college and its services from. Sources included social media, Delta’s website, the college radio station and the marquees on Pacific and Pershing avenues, as well as text and email alerts.
Student Vanessa Gonzales, 22, said she is aware the college offers social media and text alerts for communication, but she prefers to use Delta student email for any information or notifications.
Student Christopher Short, 25, also knows about the services avaliable.
“I don’t have text alerts because sometimes I don’t have a phone on me, but I do receive alerts through email,” said Short.
Acting President/Superintendent Kathy Hart, along with other staff members, developed an educational master plan to ensure communication on campus improves.
The plan is to improve the effectiveness of college operations by developing and implementing a communication plan that provides regular, timely, open and transparent communication.
Hart assigned Michael Kerns, the vice president of student services, to review existing communication strategies, such as committee agendas and minutes and the Delta College website, among others.
The survey will help in reviewing which sources of communication work and which don’t for the campus community, allowing administration to improve these strategies.
Director of Police Services David Main said the campus police department is exploring new ways to better communicate with the campus using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as the “Alert-U” text alerts.
“We need to have a mass communication system that will be fast and in which we can utilize several different avenues such as; email, text messaging, phones, class room phones, you know those kinds of things are what we need to move into and the kinds of things we are exploring right now,” said Main.
The campus police aren’t just looking into alerting about emergencies, but also building trust with students, faculty and staff members.
“We are asking our community officers to communicate with our staff and students on campus by getting out of their cars and opening up dialogue with them and you know just establishing that rapport relationship,” said Main. “Students are just one aspect of our population; it’s not only about communicating with students, but how we communicate better with our entire campus community.”
