Policy
Clover Park Technical College wants to cooperate with inquiries from the media and accurately communicate, as appropriate, in a manner consistent with our mission and values. It is essential that comments to the press and the public are as accurate as possible
Clover Park Technical College appoints the Public Information Officer (PIO) as the first contact for all media inquiries on official CPTC matters. Employees of the College will refer media queries to the College Relations Department and are not authorized to speak on behalf of the College without permission of the PIO.
Signed Policy
Document
Procedure
If contacted by a representative of the news media, Clover Park Technical College employees will follow these steps:
- In response to a reporter inquiry please provide the statement, “we will get back to you with more information shortly.” The answer should never be “no comment.” As an employee, you should not speak to news media on behalf of CPTC without coordinating with the PIO, per Media Policy.
- Remain calm and find out the following information:
- What information the reporter would like and the organization he/she represents
- What is his/her deadline
- The reason he/she would like the information
- The journalist’s name and contact information (email, telephone number, etc.)
- Courteously tell them you will coordinate with the College Relations Department and the college will provide a response promptly. Explain that CPTC wants to provide them the most current and correct information and will need appropriate time to do so.
- Deliver the message via email or phone call to the Public Information Officer as soon as possible, but no later than 1 hour after receiving the request.
- College Relations will manage the inquiry, gather background information, coordinate response with the appropriate departments, discuss the opportunity and next steps. If appropriate, College Relations will coordinate interviews, provide media training, or provide the response directly.
- Responses and disposition of the query will be distributed to CPTC’s President and Direct Reports who will also close the loop with the initiating office.
Following completion of the interview, College Relations will follow up with the journalist to ensure that he/she has all the materials required to complete the story.
