Communication Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR ALL-EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION

Communication at COCC is a top priority. Strong communication allows the College to achieve COCC's mission of promoting student success and community enrichment through commitment to our values, specifically strengthening internal connections.

General communication at COCC will happen through two Outlook folders: "COCC Headlines" and "Bobcat Community." Employees may use the "Breakroom" Outlook folder to communicate non-COCC items to other employees as long as the posts comply with ORS 244.040(1). Occasionally the Marketing and Public Relations Office will send out a brief email to all employees that includes key campus information and updates.

It is the expectation that every employee will regularly read Headlines and Bobcat Community to stay current on issues impacting the College.

COCC Headlines

Definition: COCC Headlines is the main channel for overarching, official College news and business. All College employees are expected to read COCC Headlines at least once a day.

Oversight: COCC Headlines is overseen by the Marketing and Public Relations Office.

Goals:

By reading COCC Headlines, a COCC employee will be aware of current College projects and priorities, significant policy changes and broad-based initiatives and how to access more detailed information.
By reading COCC Headlines, employees will be aware of necessary, time-sensitive information that could potentially impact the individual, their Office and/or students.
By reading COCC Headlines, employees will be informed on key issues and feel empowered to articulate the College's position.

Posting Authority: The president, members of the President's Advisory Team (PAT) and/or designee, Policy Committee Chairs (College Affairs, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs) and the Marketing and Public Relations Office have posting authority.

Those with posting authority will use COCC Headlines as the primary mechanism for sharing broad College news to employees.

Those with posting authority will ensure that detailed information in their posts be made available through the College website, as appropriate, and that Bobcat Headlines will not be the primary source of archived information about posted topics.

Examples of appropriate Headlines posts:
News and updates that impact the entire College
Emergency notification
Closure notification
Human Resources, Information Technology Services announcements that impact the ENTIRE College
President's Advisory Team notes
Board agendas/summaries
Policy committee meeting agendas and minutes
"If it's going to be in the Bulletin, it should be shared on Bobcat Headlines."

Bobcat Community

Definition: Bobcat Community is the main channel for college-wide communication by non-policy committees, departments and employees. All posts must be COCC-related and should be relevant to the majority of College employees. Employees are expected to review Bobcat Community twice a week or more often, as directed by their supervisor.

Oversight: Bobcat Community is monitored by the Marketing and Public Relations Office, in cooperation and with the support of the Communication Advisory Team.

Goals:

By reading Bobcat Community, employees will be made aware of what is happening in the COCC community.
By reading Bobcat Community, employees will be made aware of more directed, departmental changes, updates and efforts more narrow in scope.
By reading Bobcat Community, employees will learn of opportunities on how to become more involved in the COCC community.
By reading Bobcat Community, employees will learn of student resources, events, student success initiatives, etc.

Parameters:
All employees have posting authority to Bobcat Community.

It is everyone's responsibility to keep Bobcat Community an effective communication tool by posting conscientiously with one timely post per topic/announcement.

All those posting on Bobcat Community should reflect on whether their post could be consolidated or is truly relevant for the majority of COCC employees.

Date-specific items, however, may be shared twice, one announcement and then one reminder, a few days prior to the event/deadline.

Daily posts by one department or employee are not acceptable.

Follow-up reminders to previous posts are discouraged and may be deleted.

Cross-posting of items is not acceptable. (Items should only appear in one folder.)

Examples of appropriate Bobcat Community posts:
Non-policy committee agendas, reports, minutes and updates
Events for COCC students and staff
Candidate presentations
Retirement announcements
Looking for volunteers
Department newsletters
Staff updates

Breakroom

Definition: Breakroom is a "catch-all" folder for announcements not directly related to the College. Employees are not required to read Breakroom; posting and reading of this folder should take place before and after your scheduled hours or during breaks.

Oversight: Breakroom is monitored by the Marketing and Public Relations Office, in cooperation and with the support of ITS.

Goals:

To provide a forum for employees to share non-COCC-related items.

Parameters:
All employees have posting authority to Bobcat Breakroom.

It is everyone's responsibility to keep Breakroom an effective communication tool by using good judgment for appropriate postings. Posts that contain content that may be offensive based on issues such as race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, acts of violence, etc., will be removed.

Employees should also avoid posts which violate Oregon State ethics laws for public officials. According to ORS 244.040(1), “a public official may not use or attempt to use official position or office to obtain financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment for the public official, a relative or member of the household of the public official, or any business with which the public official or a relative or member of the household of the public official is associated, if the financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment would not otherwise be available but for the public official’s holding of the official position or office.”

Because Breakroom is only available to COCC employees, it is a violation of ORS 244.040(1) to post about the following topics:

Items for sale where financial proceeds from the sale would benefit yourself, a relative, a household member, and/or a business with which you are affiliated
Fundraising for an organization with which you, a relative, and/or a household member are affiliated

Examples of appropriate Breakroom posts:
Recommendations for repair services, medical providers, etc.
Appropriate memes/jokes/amusing stories
Information about events not related to the College
Fundraisers for events or organizations with which you, a relative, and/or household member are not affiliated