In a world where everyone seems constantly connected through technology, what is the best way to communicate with new students AND get your message across? After obtaining feedback from current students and student groups, UNCW’s Information Technology Systems Division (ITSD) developed a comprehensive communications plan for incoming students which integrated various methods of communicating, from high tech to low tech options. This layered approach—including printed mailings, thematic e-mails, a flash drive distributed at orientation and more—gave students (and their parents) numerous ways of receiving and processing key technology information over a span of a couple of months before students arrived on campus. The result: Students arrived at UNCW with more awareness of the technology available to them and their responsibilities concerning safe computing. They also were better informed regarding who to contact for technology assistance when needed. Technology issues that ITSD encountered in the past were minimized. This presentation will cover specifics on how we came up with our comprehensive plan, our approach to distributing the information and our various communications methods. We will also discuss why sometimes going "high tech" isn't always the answer.

1. Everything Old is New Again
Tara Thompson
Tami Violette
University of North Carolina Wilmington

2. The Problem
o Students didn’t know about our services
until they needed them, or worse, AFTER
they needed them.
o Seniors were overheard saying, “I never
knew you were here,” once they did find us.
o E-mails weren’t working.

3. What was our goal?
o To reach new, incoming students.
o To give them a basic understanding of the
technology services available to them
BEFORE they needed them.
o To prepare them for our campus technologies
and how to get help at the TAC.
o To provide information but not overwhelm.

4. What did we do?
o Formed a committee to discuss the critical
technology information new students need.
o Gathered suggestions from student
advisory group.
o Broke up info into “bite-sized” chunks.
o Came up with a thematic approach of “key
information”.

5. What did we do?
o Sent information to students over the
summer via a methodical approach.
o Delivered in multiple ways:
o Postcards and other mailings
o E-mail
o Pre-loaded Flash Drive

6. EXAMPLES of Communications

7. EXAMPLES of Communications

8. EXAMPLES of Communications

9. EXAMPLES of Communications

10. EXAMPLES of Communications
o Branded, pre-loaded
flash drive:
 Distributed at orientations
 Contains information
from areas across
campus
 Loaded data on UNCW
Web site in case key was lost.
 http://uncw.edu/welcomestudents

11. EXAMPLES of Communications
E-mails with a
consistent template
and “sender.”

12. Survey Results
o Sent a survey out to about 3,370 students in
October and received responses from 536.
o “Which of these methods did you find helpful?”
o 63% - Postcard about their e-mail
o 56% - Key Computing Information flyer
o 53% - Flyer for Parents
o 11% - Didn’t remember

13. Survey Results
o On average, new UNCW students prefer to
receive their technology information:
o E-mail
o Postal mailings, flash drives, Web pages,
Facebook and Text Messages
o Twitter
“Emails work the best. It’s the only thing that I check daily and look for
school information. Facebook is for socializing not for finding help. At
least for me.”

14. Flash Drive Survey Feedback
o Students gave some great feedback for
improvements including:
o More emphasis on the flash drive
o Distribute it earlier
o Suggestions on information to add to drive
o Separate items into what you need to know BEFORE
coming to the campus and what you may want to
keep AFTER you’re a student.
o Bigger drives

15. Flash Drive Comments
“The flash drive was very helpful in getting ready
for campus computing.”
“i really like the flash drive not only for the
information already stored on it but it also gave me
a place to store my typed notes in case my
computer crashes as well as papers.”
“I loved getting a flashdrive =)”

16. Observations and Comments…
o Faculty Observations
o Student Feedback/Comments:
o “I think things are set up very well already. The
most important thing, in my opinion, is informing all
the freshman of all technology at UNCW, because
they really have no idea coming into college.”
o “I wouldn’t have known what to bring to campus
without the flyer. It was really helpful.”

17. Next Steps
o Continue to reach out to students in
various ways but don’t forget those tried
and true methods of old!
o Currently implementing similar
communications for faculty and staff.
o Similar layered strategy for upper-
classmen?

18. Questions?
Tara Thompson – thompsont@uncw.edu
Tami Violette – violettet@uncw.edu
University of North Carolina Wilmington

19. Please Provide Your
Feedback!
Tara Thompson
Tami Violette
University of North Carolina Wilmington

20. Please Provide Your
Feedback!
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