MARKETING HIGHER EDUCATION A periodic electronic Newsletter to help you market your school, community college, college, or university. Vol. XII, no. 7, July, 1998 -------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Alcohol on Campus: the Challenge to Institutional Image by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard Book Reviews: World Wide Web Assistance by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard Native American Code Talkers: A Special Project by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard -------------------------------------------------- Alcohol on Campus: the Challenge to Institutional Image by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard Nothing is more disconcerting to university officials than a disruptive disagreement between administration and students. When such a disagreement turns to violence, riots and even deaths result, and the problem may well become a legal one, with all its attendant bad publicity. In recent months, campuses all over the country are facing such disruption over a single issue: alcohol on campus and its abuse by students. Administrations are cracking down on student use of alcohol and other drugs on campus, and students in many cases don't like it. At the same time, abuse of alcohol is causing deaths like that of the student at MIT who died of intoxication after a fraternity pledge party. While students see the issue as one of individual rights, administrations insist that abuse of alcohol on campus must stop, and the stage is set for the biggest public relations fiasco in the history of American higher education! Let's look at a few of the incidents that have appeared in the news this spring and early summer. * At Michigan State University, a riot of 2,000 students occurred when administrators levied a ban on alcohol at a spot where tailgate parties during football games were common and popular. * At the University of Connecticut, a student riot occurred when police tried to extinguish a bonfire that threatened an apartment. The next night, when students set fire to a car, the conflict was repeated. * At Washington State University, police used tear gas to restrain a large number of students throwing beer cans and rocks at officers. The riot was sparked by students frustrated at a policy banning alcohol at fraternity social functions. The rampage lasted 5 hours, 24 officers were injured, and three people were arrested. * At Plymouth State College, a large crowd, many of them students, chanted, burned furniture, and threw rocks and beer bottles at police who tried to stop the annual "Spring Fling." Seven people were arrested. * At the University of Tennessee at Martin, police were forced to use pepper spray on a crowd at an end-of-the-semester fraternity party that erupted in violence. One student was arrested. * At Ohio University, students threw bottles, asphalt chunks, and coins at officers who stepped in when, for the second consecutive year, students protested on the day when an hour of drinking time was lost because bar owners turned clocks ahead for daylight time. All of these incidents were widely reported in the media. So was the MIT incident in which Scott Krueger, a brand new freshman, slipped into an alcohol-induced coma and died three days later, after a fraternity pledge party. In this case, the university faces the possibility of indictment for involuntary manslaughter! What a dilemma for campus marketing and public relations offices in cases such as these! Can the damage to institutional image ever be repaired? How can these offices possibly recruit new students with their universities under fire? Can campus PR help avoid such problems in the future? POLICIES: We don't have the definitive answers to these and other questions raised by the recent violence, but we have some suggestions for how to proceed. First, examine your institution's policy on alcohol on campus. Chances are, it is, at least to some degree, restrictive. Work with campus officials to make the reasons behind it clear and understandable. Take a look at the institution's mission statement. Is the alcohol policy clearly in harmony with other goals of the school? Is the policy consistent across all segments of the campus population? Does it favor groups like fraternities or events such as football games? Are faculty allowed alcoholic beverages at faculty clubs and parties on campus, while students are not? What kind of example, and what kind of lesson, does this convey to students? What justification does the administration use for restricting the use of alcohol by students? Does it rest entirely on the fact that many of them are minors? Does it take into account the disruptive behavior of many people when influenced by excessive drinking? Does it include the role of campuses "in loco parentis?" Does it include the legal liability of the university? Meet with university attorneys and make sure your statements don't jeopardize the institution legally. COMMUNICATIONS: How is the policy communicated to the campus? Are the reasons for alcohol restrictions clearly stated in student handbooks and other literature? Is the policy and its rationale clearly delineated on the institution's Web site? Or are the restrictions only voiced without explanation? Are restrictions and the rationale for them delineated in faculty guidelines and administrative materials? Or are the reasons glossed over? Do parents get a clear explanation of the university's stance? Is the general public in the home community informed of alcohol policies on campus and the reasons for them? Do the public and law enforcement know whom to turn to on campus when problems arise? Is it clearly understood by students when they register that they are restricted by campus alcohol policies? Are they told why the policies have been instituted and how they will be enforced? Are counseling facilities provided for those with alcohol-related problems? Are there substance abuse avoidance classes and discussions available for those who want and need them? ENFORCEMENT: Enforcement of such policies falls on a number of disparate groups on any college or university campus. Clearly, campus police are involved, but they are far from the only ones. Planners and organizers of activities for students and faculty should be provided with the campus alcohol policy and explanation of the reasons for it. They should be informed what penalties are levied on those who ignore it. They should also be informed as to what resources are available to help them enforce it. Faculty should understand their role in enforcement as well. If they themselves consistently violate the policy the students must adhere to, their example will be taken by students as permission for them to do the same. If faculty serve alcoholic beverages to students, they should be subject to strict penalties, and they must understand the legal liability they and the university may be subject to. Most of all, faculty and staff must set an example of maturity for students. If they disdain campus policies, what can they expect of students when spirits are high? PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING: What is the role of the marketing and public relations offices in this dilemma? How can they help to defuse the situation and avoid unpleasant incidents in the future? One suggestion already made above is to consult with campus officials on the policies concerning student use of alcohol and help make the policies and the rationale for them clear and consistent. This assumes, of course, preparation for future problems. It was also suggested that you consult with campus attorneys. Use that opportunity to understand how you can minimize the apparent liability of the institution through better communications. When it comes to communications, who is better equipped to help than public relations officials? In a crisis, what can you say to help maintain the institution's image? It seems to us you are obligated to defend campus policy and to help explain it to the public. It is also your responsibility to demonstrate how the policy supports the goals of the institution and its obligations to students, parents, and community. How can you do this better at your institution? Only you can answer that after consultation with all elements of the campus population - yes, even students! If you have other points to raise, we invite you to discuss them at the "Patio" at the Agora Web site of Topor Consulting Group International. If you have ideas and suggestions to make, feel free to write to me or Bob with them, and let's provide a compilation here to help each other! ********** Liz Pollard * Smoke Signals Enterprises Web site: http://www.smokesig.com E-mail: lpollard@smokesig.com ********* NOTICE: As a subscriber to this electronic newsletter, you have permission to reproduce and use this article on your campus. All others please note ©1998, Topor Consulting Group International. Comments about, or requests to reprint should be directed to Bob Topor at topor@marketinged.com. ********** -------------------------------------------------- BOOK REVIEWS: World Wide Web Assistance by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard The Web Design WOW Book, by Jack Davis, Susan Merritt, & Linnea Dayton, WOW Book Series Editor. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, c. 1998. $39.95 US, $55.95 Canada ISBN 0-201-88678-2 If you've been assigned to do a Web site for your institution and need considerable guidance, here's one place to start. This handy compendium of reference information for Web designers and planners includes 3 "how-to" chapters and 7 more of case studies, with ample illustrations in full color. The case studies are grouped according to communications goals: marketing; entertainment; education and training; software application; publishing; portfolios and presentations; and sales. Topics like screen organization are provided with clear charts as visual aids, and color illustrations of the actual Web pages. A systematic overview of the production process in chapter 1 includes essentials like resources, planning, determining content, and shaping the project. A clear explanation of storyboarding the project will delight the hearts of those who aren't sure how to see the whole picture during the early stages, and excellent guidance is provided throughout the project to the final results. These first few chapters form a useful tutorial for beginners, while the case studies provide excellent examples of the best possible outcomes and explanation of what made them super! An appendix provides contact information for the firms who contributed projects for the case studies and Web site addresses. A CD-ROM is included in the back of the book which is crammed with useful software for both Macintosh and Windows platforms, shareware and freeware utilities, including gems for PC users such as GIF Construction Set. Full functioning demo versions of HTML editors and WYSIWYG editor programs are offered here for trial purposes, and full working versions of popular browsers and browser plugins as well! This is a necessity for beginners who need coaching through all the steps of designing a Web site and producing results with the final product. It is also an extremely handy reference source for more experienced Web enthusiasts and Web marketers. Perhaps even more important, this book is a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration for what works! Tools for PR and Publications Quark XPress 4 for Windows: Visual QuickStart Guide, by Elaine Weinmann. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, c1998. $18.95 US $26.95 Canada ISBN 0-201-69699-1 In keeping with her previous editions of this QuickStart guide, Elaine Weinmann has provided the definitive lessons for this popular desktop publishing program. Emphasis on over 70 new features and capabilities of the program does not obscure step-by-step, hands-on instructions for getting started. Weinmann offers straightforward text designed for beginners and intermediate users, along with hundreds of illustrations and tips. A version of the book for Macintosh users is available at the same price from Peachpit Press, ISBN 0-201-69623-1. The next two books provide assistance in learning the same program, Freehand 8, but from two different approaches. One was published by the software publisher, Macromedia, and the second is part of the famous "Visual QuickStart" series. Freehand 8 Authorized, by Macromedia, Inc. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, in association with Macromedia, 1998. $39.95 US $55.95 Canada ISBN 0-201-69691-6 This title includes the complete curriculum for a two day course which Macromedia offers for its own trainers. It includes a CD-ROM with demo versions of Macromedia software and practice exercises. This is a clear, basic tutorial in using this powerful drawing and layout program, from start to finish. The book is full of useful tips and illustrated examples. As an alternative to spending about $1,000 for the course, it's a very reasonable choice! Freehand 8 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual Quickstart Guide, by Sandee Cohen. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 1998. $18.95 US $26.95 Canada ISBN 0-201-69697-5 "Visual" is the key to understanding the difference in this and the previous title. This guide to the Freehand 8 program provides exactly that, visual help for illustrators, the language they know best. Screen shots and images, alongside clear, logical explanations, make this a winner in every respect! For beginners, this is a relatively painless way to start using a complex program, and for old hands, it's still a very handy reference! Real World Scanning and Halftones, 2nd Edition: The Definitive Guide to Scanning and Halftones for the Desktop, by David Blatner, Glenn Fleishman, and Steve Roth. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit press, 1998. $29.95 US $41.95 Canada ISBN 0-201-69683-5 "Everything you always wanted to know..." provides a good description of this useful book. Covering both Macintosh and Windows platforms, it starts with the basics of choosing an appropriate scanner and resolution and goes right through to the finished product. Four new chapters in this edition include color correction and management, images for the Web, color output, as distinct from offset color printing, and stochastic screening. The text is divided into three parts, the first on scanned images, the second on halftones, and the third on applications used, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, Quark, PageMaker, and DeBabelizer. The language, while taking on the most technical subjects, guides the user through the process clearly. In addition, the illustrations are designed to make understanding the details simple. An excellent guide for beginners and pros alike! Peachpit Press is located at 1249 Eighth Street in Berkeley, CA 94710. You can order these books by calling 800 283-9444 or by faxing (510) 524-2178. Peachpit Press can be found on the web at http://www.peachpit.com ********** Liz Pollard * Smoke Signals Enterprises Web site: http://www.smokesig.com E-mail: lpollard@smokesig.com ********* NOTICE: As a subscriber to this electronic newsletter, you have permission to reproduce and use this article on your campus. All others please note ©1998, Topor Consulting Group International. Comments about, or requests to reprint should be directed to Bob Topor at topor@marketinged.com. ********** SPECIAL OFFER For Marketing Higher Education newsletter subscribers ONLY. Download the updated second edition of Bob's "classic" book, Marketing Higher Education - A Practical Guide, directly from his Web site at http://www.marketinged.com Special Deal: As a subscriber to this newsletter you have permission to make copies and distribute on your campus... a great aid for marketing committees! Make as many copies as you like (limited to your campus). You can get this book from the Home page on Bob's web site. It costs $40 (U.S.) It is easy to download to your computer, then you can reproduce it in your print shop or make photocopies. The first edition of this book has been one of CASE's best selling publications and has been used around the world. If you have questions call Bob at (650) 962-1105. NEW! 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It combines ideas from the business world with ones for personal satisfaction and success. You can use these ideas both in your business ventures as well as your personal life and success activities. Bon Appetit! This book is easy to download from Bob's website: http://www.marketinged.com -------------------------------------------------- Native American Code Talkers: A Special Project by Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard INTRODUCTION: One of the important outcomes of the association of Bob Topor (Marketing Higher Education ) and Professor Emerita Elizabeth Pollard (Smoke Signals Enterprises) is the pro bono (volunteer) work they do together. The following project is intended to recognize brave Native American men who fought for the United States in World War I & II. The code talkers and their families, we feel, need to be formally recognized for their bravery! Please join us in this effort. Bob Topor * Topor Consulting Group International Higher Education Marketing Evangelist ANADARKO, OK, - Many of the American public know that in World War II a large number of Navajo served as "code talkers" for the Marines in the Pacific. There have been books and articles published which cover their service, and they have been highly honored in many ways. Fewer people are aware, however, that there were other code talkers in both World Wars from many tribes who served in the Pacific and in Europe. In all, at least 17 tribes have been identified as serving in this manner by Dr. William C. Meadows, an Anadarko, OK scholar whose book on the Comanche code talkers of World War II is currently under review by the University of Texas Press. The tribes identified include Cheyenne, Comanche, Cherokee, Choctaw, Osage, and Yankton Sioux in WW I, and in WW II, Chippewa, Choctaw, Comanche, Creek, Hopi, Kiowa, Menominee, Muscogee-Seminole, Navajo, Oneida, Pawnee, Sac & Fox, and Sioux (both Lakota and Dakota dialects). Meadows identifies two types of code talking, which he calls Type I and Type II. The former involved actual encoding of messages and translation of code into the code talkers' native languages. The second type involved the planned or spontaneous use of Native American languages to relay strategic messages without further encoding. An informational appendix is included below which identifies the tribes whose warriors served United States armed forces in this manner, beginning with the Choctaw in World War I, who practiced the first type of code talking. In all instances, the use of these native languages foiled enemy attempts to decipher the communications of United States armed forces. The result was often a dramatic turn in the tide of battle, and thousands of allied lives were saved which would have inevitably been lost in continued fighting. The code talking of these American Indian warriors was practiced under dangerous, harrowing conditions, willingly and without question. Perhaps even more remarkable, it was a service which they rendered to a government which had conquered their own people. Some of the code talkers lost their lives, and many were wounded during the two World Wars. Many of these brave men have since passed on to the land of the spirits, unrecognized by this country. The United States has never officially recognized the code talkers, although the French government awarded them or their tribes their highest military honor in 1989. The petition appended to this article is being circulated by friends and families of Native American code talkers of World War I and II in a grass roots effort to get their country to recognize this valiant, ingenious service in an appropriate manner. The signatories to this petition are asking the U.S. government to rectify this omission now by awarding the code talkers of both types the Medal of Honor for their valiant, unique, and outstanding service above and beyond the call of duty. -------------------------------------- Appendix adapted from: Meadows, William C. They Spoke Comanche: the Comanche Code Talkers in World War II. In Press. University of texas Press, Austin, TX. APPENDIX: Native American Code Talkers : World Wars I and II Code Talking Types 1 and 2: Explanation Type 1 = Formally developed special coded-encoded vocabularies in Native American languages. Type 2 = Informal use of everyday non-coded Native American languages. World War I Tribe and Type of Code Talk Practiced Cheyenne 2 Choctaw 1 Comanche 2 Cherokee 2 Osage 2 Yankton Sioux 2 World War II Tribe and Type of Code Talk Practiced Comanche 1 Navajo 1 Chippewa 2 Choctaw 2 Creek 2 Hopi 2 Kiowa 2 Menominee 2 Muscogee-Seminole 2 Oneida 2 Pawnee 2 Sac & Fox 2 Sioux (Lakota & Dakota) 2 FOR FURTHER INFO: Liz Pollard, Smoke Signals Enterprises, 505 W. Louisiana Ave., Anadarko, OK 73005 (405)247-2251 Email: lpollard@smokesig.com -------------------------------------- Comanche Code Talkers of WW II at Ft. Benning, 1941. Rear, l. to r.: Morris Sunrise, Perry Noyabad, Ralph Wahnee, Haddon "Red" Codynah, Robert Holder, Edward Nahquaddy, Clifford Otitovo, Forrest Kassanavoid. Front, l. to r.: Roderick "Dick" Redelk, Simmons Parker, Larry Saupitty, Melvin Permansu, Willie Yackeschi, Charles Chibitty, Willington Mihecoby. [Comanche code talkers unit in 1941 at Ft. Benning.] Comanche Code Talker Unit of WW II in a less formal moment at Ft. Benning, 1941. [Comanche Code Talkers, 1941.] -------------------------------------- PETITION FOLLOWS: Please add your signature to this petition and encourage others to join us. If you received the petition by email, pass it along to as many other interested citizens as you can and ask that they collect signatures to add to it. Make photocopies of it if necessary, and add sheets of paper for additional signatures. Completed, signed petitions should be returned to me at Liz Pollard, 505 W. Louisiana Ave., Anadarko, OK 73005 or mailed to either or both of the following addresses. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell Chairman, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs 380 Russell Senate Office Building U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510-0605 Representative Dale E. Kildee Co-Chair, Native American Caucus 2187 Rayburn House Office Building U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515-2209 -------------------------------------- PETITION TO the CONGRESS of the UNITED STATES ON BEHALF OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN CODE TALKERS of WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II WHEREAS: During World War I and World War II, hundreds of Native American service men from at least 17 native nations served the armed forces of the United States in a vital and unique capacity, by using their native languages to foil enemy communications. They became known as codetalkers from the use of their languages to transmit strategic messages in a form the enemy could not decipher. In World War I, Choctaw warriors performed this service, translating encoded messages into their language for transmission. This type of code talking, referred to here as Type I, was also used in World War II by Navajo and Comanche units. It required ingenious use of words in the native languages to convey meanings these peoples had never had use for previously. Other tribes used what is known here as Type II code talk, utilizing their native language to communicate crucial messages to each other without first encoding them, but with the same result, that the enemy could not decipher critical strategic communications. These tribes included, but are not necessarily limited to, Cheyenne, Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, and Yankton Sioux in WW I, and in WW II, Chippewa, Choctaw, Creek, Hopi, Kiowa, Menominee, Muscogee-Seminole, Oneida, Pawnee, Sac & Fox, and Sioux (both Lakota and Dakota dialects). In both types of code talking, results were similar. The tide of battle was turned, and the United States forces were enabled to prevail. Without these services, it is extremely doubtful that vital secrecy would have been maintained in the communications of United States armed forces. WHEREAS: These American Indian warriors performed a valuable service to this country, to their own peoples and nations, and to the free world, enabling allied forces to overcome the oppressors and saving thousand of lives which would have been lost otherwise by continued battle. They gave of a unique skill, and they gave it freely under often extremely dangerous conditions. They served with courage and ingenuity, and without question, a government which had conquered their people. WHEREAS: These Native American code talkers have never been officially recognized by the United States government for this unique and valiant service, although the French government, in 1989, awarded them its highest honor. THEREFORE: We, the undersigned, urge the Congress of the United States to honor these Native American warriors in an appropriate manner, by awarding them Congressional Medals of Honor! SIGNED: ******************* Liz Pollard * Smoke Signals Enterprises Web site: http://www.smokesig.com E-mail: lpollard@smokesig.com ********** NOTICE: As a subscriber to this electronic newsletter, you have permission to reproduce and use this article on your campus. All others please note ©1998, Topor Consulting Group International. Comments about, or requests to reprint should be directed to Bob Topor at topor@marketinged.com. -------------------------------------------------- Original posting: 8/14/98 Marketing Higher Education Newsletter is published by Topor Consulting Group International (http://www.marketinged.com). Newsletter posted by WEBB Internet Marketing & Consulting (http://www.firstchapter.com). copyright 1998 Topor Consulting Group International