College Public Relations: The Principles Which Underlie an Effective Promotional Program

Abstract

C OLLEGE public relations is the sum of all the efforts that are made to give the constituency a full understanding of the institution. This understanding is basic to the good will which is needed by the college to fulfill its objectives-to recruit teachers, research men, administrators, and students, and to secure financial support. The of administration of the college promotional program define the scope, the organization, and the control of that program. This article sets forth the thesis that the underlying the effective public-relations program can be determined from the writings of educational leaders. By a process described elsewhere, the literature of higher education was briefed for references to public relations, and a set of consistent statements representing this literature was obtained.' This set-the principles of administration of college public relations-is further characterized by its essential agreement with a philosophy of education which represents most adequately the democratic way of life. The necessity for good will is understood by American business. The educator has much to learn from the public-relations policies and practices of the more enlightened corporations. The basic objective of businessmaking a profit-and that of education-developing the individual-are quite different. It would be dangerous to try to transfer the businessman's views on advertising and salesmanship into the educational world unchanged. Rather, the needs of the college in the direction of adequate public acceptance must be worked out by the college itself in the light of its own educational ends. To promote such objectives, the college can learn from, but must adapt, what business has developed. The methods used by modern business to create an atmosphere conducive to public acceptance of its products and services are often considered incompatible with the ideals, and beneath the dignity, of the educational institution. This point of view may be valid if disapproval is limited to high-pressure salesmanship or to certain unfortunate characteristics of advertising too often noted in business promotion by