Deadlines to Keep in Mind
Writing and Editing (two to three weeks)
Staff will work with your department to develop editorial concepts, profiles and captions as needed.
Editing (approximately one week)
Editing will be provided by the Office of University Relations.
Design (approximately two weeks, depending on complexity of job)
Design includes developing the concept, rough sketches, choosing paper, colors and artwork, creating a final layout and making any revisions. You will be asked to approve various stages of the process.
Designers strive to create the best looking publications possible within the allotted budget. If you know what you want, please provide samples or convey your idea at the beginning of the project.
Photography/Illustrations/Graphics
These elements will enhance your publication’s appearance and may or may not cost extra. The Office of University Relations has an in-house photographer; however, at times outside photographs may need to be purchased.
As part of the conceptualization phase of design, Creative Services will make suggestions about the use of photography, illustrations and other graphic elements in your publication. Once ideas are approved, Creative Services will coordinate these elements and include them in the final layout.
Proofreading/Approval
Creative Services wants to produce perfect, error-free publications and believes the more eyes that read the publication, the better. Therefore, we require the department representative, and several members of the UR staff to approve the final publication. The client and publications editor are responsible for copy and the designer reviews the layout.
Printing (approximately two weeks)
Creative Services will determine whether the publication will be printed in-house (through university Printshop) or through an outside commercial printer based on such requirements as turn-around time and costs.
If printing costs are under $5,000, and the publication is being printed outside the university, Creative Services will bid the job to at least three printers. The job will be awarded to the lowest bidder.
If printing costs exceed $5,000, and the publication is being printed outside the university, Creative Services will send the information to Materiel Management and Contracts for them to handle. Note: This process can add another two weeks to the publication process depending on cost.
Approximately one week after the job is sent to the printer, Creative Services will receive a blueline. A blueline, prepared by the printer on photo-sensitive paper which is usually blue on white, is the final proof of what your publication will look like when it is printed, minus ink color and selected paper. For full-color jobs, a color key or color proof will also be ordered. The department representative, designer, and publications editor will review and sign off on the blueline. Changes at this point are extremely costly.
Delivery and Distribution
Delivery of the final publication will be arranged between the department and Creative Services during the initial planning meeting.
Most jobs are first delivered directly to Creative Services for quality control, then to the individual department for distribution. In the event the publication is going to be labeled and mailed to its audience, Creative Services will make sure the job is appropriately delivered to the business location responsible for final distribution.
Printing
Radford University has its own in-house print shop. Although it is not part of University Relations, Printing Services works closely with Creative Services. In some instances Creative Services may refer jobs with straight typesetting only and simple layout to Printing Services. If you’re unsure of where to take a job, contact Creative Services.
University Relations is made up of four distinct areas: the News Bureau, Marketing, Electronic Communications and Creative Services. These departments work closely together and it is helpful to know their functions and relationships with each other.
News Bureau
All news and publicity items are handled by the News Bureau. This office is also responsible for writing the copy for RU News Briefs, RU Connected, RU Magazine and a wide range of other communications. While Creative Services and the News Bureau share some information, it is best to contact the News Bureau directly with news or publicity items. Call your “beat” reporter at extension 5324.
Photography
The university photographer is also part of the News Bureau department. The photographer keeps files of color and black and white photographs and Creative Services uses these materials for publications. Requests for photos need to be made through the Director of University Relations.
Electronic Communications
As use of the Internet continues to expand, its value as a communications and information tool grows accordingly. Radford University has been in the forefront in use of the Internet and development of an information-rich Web site. One of the services coordinated by the Office of University Relations is assistance in setting up departmental home pages on the RUWorld Wide Web site.Training seminars on the Internet, Web Browsing and Web Publishing also are offered through Academic Computing. If you are interested in developing a Web site, please keep in mind that the university has guidelines which we ask you to follow. These are outlined under a section titled “RU Web Publishing Guide,” which can be accessed from the Technology Resources section of the RU Home Page (http://www.radford.edu/~itr/docs/web/)
If you are interested in creating a home page or in having a version of your printed publication placed online, the Creative Services and Electronic Communications offices can help with design. The process of having a page designed is the same as having a publication printed -- the job needs to be entered.
For further assistance, contact the following individuals or departments:
• Rick Rogers, director of electronic communications for the Office of University Relations, via e-mail at rrogers@radford.edu or by calling extension 5324 or 5182.
• Stephanie Overton, assistant director of Creative Services, via e-mail at sdoverton@radford.edu or by calling extension 5021.
For assistance in setting up a departmental account or special directory to maintain your documents on one of the campus computers (i.e., ruacad), contact the RUHelpdesk (helpdesk@radford.edu) at extension 7500 or Academic Computing (acadcomp@radford.edu) at extension 6238.
