Peer Support for Peanuts: The UCSF Communicators Network

Sarah Paris, Director of Communications, UCSF School of Medicine

The UCSF School of Medicine

Organizational Structure

• 28 departments, 16 Institutes and Centers• Highly decentralized• Part of the UCSF health sciences campus

Internal Audiences• 2000 faculty• 5121 staff• 618 medical students• 1365 residents and fellows• 600 graduate students; 1000 post docs

3

7 major sites in San Francisco & Fresno

188 mi

VA Medical Center

Parnassus

Mission Bay

Mt. ZionLaurel Heights

San Francisco General Hospital

UCSF Campus: Communications

UCSF News & Public Affairs (University Relations)

• News Releases and Web stories for External Audiences• Web Stories for Internal Audiences

Departments & Centers

• Newsletters / Publications• Internal Communications• Events• Departmental Websites

School of Medicine Dean’s Office

• School Homepage(s) / Website• School-wide electronic communications (listservs)

Who is communicating?

• Centrally: Full-time professionals assigned to Schools, University Relations, Medical Center and Development.

• Locally: In departments and units, admin staff are charged with print or electronic communications as part of their overall duties. Typically, web, print, electronic and in-person communications (events) are handled separately and not coordinated.

Challenges for “Outliers”• Lack of training• Lack of resources• Lack of standards / best practices• Lack of connection to peers across campus• Lack of recognition for their work

Challenges for Campus• Inefficiencies: Inventing the wheel instead of

building on existing information and resources• Ignorance of standards & brand guidelines• Inability to create strategic communications

campus-wide

UCSF Websites, ca. 2008: “Brand Smorgasbord”

The UCSF Communicators NetworkGoal 1: Connect everyone on campus who

is active in any form of communications

• Website creation, web editing

• Print publications, displays

• Electronic communications

• Social media

• Event management

The UCSF Communicators Network• Kick off Meeting Nov. 7, 2008:

- 36 attendees from SOM and campus- Universal agreement of need for and usefulness of a communicators group

• Discussion of platform for interaction

• Subsequent formation of small ad-hoc steering committee with representatives from the four schools & UR

• Now 150+ members

• Voluntary collaboration; various levels of participation. Top-down “moral” support.

The Virtual Meeting Place

2009-2010: Google Group

Consensus: Adequate tool for discussions (162 topics in two years), but hard to organize resources.

2011: Transition to Nuts & Bolts Website (for member roster and resource organization); combined with a listserv for intra-group discussions and inquiries.

Communicators.ucsf.edu

The UCSF Communicators NetworkGoal 2: Provide training and resources• Group meets collectively every 2-3 months.

Typical format is 1-2 presentations on a given topic, with extra time for member networking

• Sample topics covered:- Social Media Strategies- Website creation- Online conferencing- How to Shoot a Simple Headshot (hands-on workshop)

• Presentations and other resources are archived on website

The UCSF Communicators NetworkGoal 3: Create a structure to disseminate

important messages on the unit level

• Example: Group worked collectively to disseminate sustainability efforts

Goal 4: Develop best practices

• Example: Group worked on drafting and implementing best practices for mass email on campus

Member Survey March 2011

1 2 3 4 50

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 2

8

31

19

Rating of Resource Value

Rated 1-55 being the highest

Member Survey March 2011

1 2 3 4 50

5

10

15

20

25

1

4

16

22

17

Rating of Network Value

Rated 1-55 being the highest

“Organically Grown Products”

• Shared Media (Photos/Video)Resource Space

• Move towards uniform content management system (Drupal)

• Website “family” branding

UCSF Websites 2011: “Family Resemblance”

Future ProjectsShort term:• More training and networking opportunities

• Further development and dissemination of resources, standards and best practices

Long term:• Campus strategic communications plan

• Develop data to bring more recognition to ROI of communications in a budget-challenged environment