Professional Guidelines
Whether you're a journalist who needs expert comments for a breaking story or a researcher
with scientific findings that warrant news coverage, NSU Communications & Marketing
can help. Our staff of writers, editors, producers and videographers, most of whom
are former journalists, understands how the news business works and can provide a
variety of services to meet your needs.
Our department is the primary media relations office for NSU. The office is responsible
for disseminating news about the university and responding to media inquiries. It
is the place to send information and seek assistance in dealing with the news media.
While On Campus
Even with the permission of faculty, staff or students, all news media are requested
to clear work they intend to conduct on university property with a Communications
& Marketing representative before arrival on campus. The C&M representative will arrange
for parking, secure access, technology requirements, and other logistical needs of
the journalists in advance of a scheduled appointment. The representative also will
inform University Police when media have given advance notice.
To protect the safety, privacy and proprietary work of faculty, staff and students,
a C&M representative must escort members of the media at all times while on campus
property.
If faculty, staff or students agree to speak with news media, their comments and opinions
represent their own personal views and must not be presented or considered reflective
of the university as a whole or its leadership.
Obtaining Photographs
NSU Communications & Marketing often can provide images for recent press releases.
We also can offer assistance in obtaining images from the university's archives, and
in some cases, provide photography to help illustrate articles about NSU, etc.
Photographs provided by the university are to be used, with appropriate credit, for
editorial purposes only. Flopping, altering or otherwise embellishing these photos
in any way that changes the photographs editorial content is prohibited. Images provided
for web use must be resized to low resolution. Permission is for one-time use only.
Journalists should notify C&M before their arrival on campus. NSU reserves the right
to take appropriate actions to preserve property and equipment and to protect the
privacy of students, faculty, administrators, and visitors while they are on campus.
Permission should be requested from and granted by individual instructors to take
photographs or video of active classrooms, by supervisors for labs, and by administrators
through C&M for residence halls. This rule applies to any type of photography stills,
video and film and to print and broadcast reporters with cameras. Requests from news
media to access or publish any photos, video or audio recordings of laboratories,
animal facilities or any other research-related information must be submitted in advance
to C&M.
Permission to use such materials will be granted by the principal investigator of
the related research; the director of the lab or facility, if applicable; and the
C&M representative.
Television, film and photography location shooting for commercial interests (not breaking
news) must be cleared with our media team at least 10 business days in advance.
C&M is available to assist crews with shooting on campus if needed, including setting
up locations and getting access to restricted areas when permission to shoot has been
granted. In many cases, especially if journalists are not familiar with the university,
we can save you time and effort.
Signed Consent
All students under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a consent form before being videotaped, photographed or interviewed by news media. Faculty, staff and students over the age of 18 can provide consent for themselves.
Open Records Request
As a public agency, RUSO and its universities are subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act. As an educational institution of higher education, student records are subject to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Any member of the public may request records from an Oklahoma public agency or institution of higher education (IHE). Some records may be confidential and not subject to disclosure. Whether or not the records are produced will depend on many factors including, but not limited to, the identity of the person requesting the record, that person's relationship to the records, whether the record exists or whether the record is confidential or private. In Oklahoma, public records are presumed to be subject to the Open Records Act. If a record is not produced, the burden is on the agency to establish the exception.