The University of Texas at Dallas > Office of Communications

Office of Communications

The Office of Communications provides strategic leadership that shapes the character, direction and underlying principles guiding the University’s institutional communications; takes primary responsibility for managing University-wide communications resources, brand identity and positioning, internal and external communications, message content, media visibility/media relations and crisis communication; and fully integrates these efforts in service to the University mission and vision.

Photo of UTD campus, taken by the UT Dallas Office of Communication

Editorial

The Editorial division brings positive attention to research and institutional achievement through content creation, editing and writing excellence.

The team produces the award-winning, biannual UT Dallas Magazine. From story conception to writing, from production to mailing, this flagship research periodical involves collaboration with communications managers, editors, designers, photographers, printers, development writers and others. In addition, a web version of the magazine involves collaboration with the web team and videographers.

A companion blog, The Telescope, focuses on advancing campus events, faculty reports from the field, news tips, notable achievements and photo essays.

Executive Communications

The Executive Communications division produces material for executive leadership including event scripts, PowerPoint presentations and high-level printed materials. A small team of photographers and videographers attend nearly all major campus events, generating content for social media, News Center, marketing materials, websites and presentations.

Marketing

The Marketing department supports UT Dallas’ brand identity through the production and management of a united and consistent image across all segments of the University’s media channels. Marketing is responsible for creating, updating and enforcing brand standards; strategic media planning and negotiation; and managing multimedia designs for projects such as ads, magazines, brochures, publications, invitations, high-level presentations and electronic messaging.

The in-house marketing staff offers complete creative services on all projects, beginning with collaborations with clients, copywriting and editing, research, graphic design, proofing, art direction, photography and scheduling for photo and video projects, fact-checking and press checks. The team provides all external, University-level design services, including the creation of templates and fact sheets that can be customized and repurposed across campus. Professional photography and video services are arranged as needed on a freelance basis.

News and Media Relations

News and Media Relations is comprised of communications managers, specialists and social media managers who assist various areas of campus, writing stories that promote UT Dallas to both internal and external audiences.

Communications managers find and develop stories that tout UT Dallas and keep the public and key stakeholders informed about the University. They coordinate news media coverage and write stories for News Center, the primary news engine of the University. The team also makes content decisions and edits, and designs and posts news stories on the University’s homepage and social media channels.

The division also collaborates with other departments to disseminate accurate and important safety information to our campus when the need arises. These situations range from severe weather to building evacuations and campus closures.

Additional responsibilities include:

  • Maintaining the University’s primary social media accounts and social media guidelines,
  • Assisting campus departments with social media operators across campus, as well as assisting many departments with social media strategy and advertising,
  • Media training,
  • Providing strategic input for major events on campus, and
  • Advising faculty, staff and administrators regarding emails, web, scripts, executive presentations and other general communication needs.

Web Services

University Web Services provides support for delivering accurate, current and relevant information through the utdallas.edu website, email and other digital media. It has a primary role in distributing urgent and crisis communication, managing content and promoting the University’s brand standards on digital platforms. The office serves to realize the strategic imperative to “tell the University’s story better” on the web and other digital media.

Additional responsibilities include:

Visit the brand standards web guidelines page for more information.