Student Affairs Communications Group Minutes
October 17, 2012
Attendance: Kami Hammerschmith, Jennifer Gossett, Jen Busick Stewart, Allyson
Dean, Danté Holloway, Ruth Sterner, Jennifer Viña, Nancy Raskauskas, Jennifer
Almquist, Neha Neelwarne
Next meeting of the Student Affairs Communications Group will be Wednesday,
October 31, 2012, 9 a.m. -10:30 a.m., MU Council Room. Topic: Gus Bedwell, Veteran
Services Adviser, will talk about marketing to student veterans.
Today
Nancy Raskauskas announced there is a Social Media Group that meets at lunchtime
(noon-1:15 p.m.) the first Friday of every month in Marketplace West East
Conference Room.
Jennifer Almquist from the Office of Equity and Inclusion presented on the
Multicultural Resource Guide (http://oregonstate.edu/mrg). Jennifer said the OEI is undergoing a self-study and will have an external review before setting a strategic plan.
The Multicultural Resource Guide started as a paper guide. A group formed in 2007-
08 to create the online format. Eric Hansen in UHDS worked with a Promise intern to develop the online version. No one department owns the guide. It is designed to be collaborative.
From the website anyone can create their own guide or submit a listing. The search is driven by key words. The site is driven by users and shaped by those using it. This includes the opportunity for departments to create their own guide for new employees.
Central Web Services has helped develop the site. Jos has supported it, but the employee who offered it support has left. The Multicultural Resource Guide has never had a major marketing push. Jennifer asked what we want to do with it, what do we want it to become and who are its stakeholders?
Currently the guide has 675 listings. Nancy said Google Analytics were turned on the site this summer, so they have 1.5-2 months of analytics.
The group brainstormed groups/departments that should know about the
Multicultural Resource Guide:
• First year experience
• Student Affairs new employee training
• Admissions
• New student employee training
• New employee site through HR
There was a discussion that the site has been up for a couple years and it may be time to update the listings. Its focus is on Corvallis resources and its audience is students, faculty and staff.

The question was raised whether there should be specific links for students or for faculty/staff? Right now you can search, highlight your needs and print your own guide. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be hard to find. You must search with a term in the search bar. You can type “all” in the search bar to see all the listings.
Jennifer said through the self-study they are hearing that people want one place to go for all equity, inclusion and diversity events from any department.
It was suggested that an A-Z search be added to the website. Another suggestion was dividing on-campus resources and off-campus resources.
Currently the site says, “Create a Guide.” It was suggested it say, “Create your Guide.”
Another suggestion was holding a student focus group to receive more feedback.
Jennifer said if departments are willing to link the Multicultural Resource Guide site from their site it would help increase visibility.
It was also suggested that something be sent to OSU Today and the stuaff e-mail list about the existence of the site.
We looked at the Beaver Nation United website
( http://oregonstate.edu/main/beavernationunited ) where they are promoting the
Wear Orange and Wear Black campaign. They would like to add more diversity and cultural event notices on the site. The site was posted in response to the “Wear
Black” discussions on campus. The group said the site should stay geared toward athletics and how to act appropriately at athletic events.
The Everyone Matters Campaign was also noted.
( http://oregonstate.edu/deanofstudents/everyonematters )
Ruth Sterner mentioned the new first year website
( http://oregonstate.edu/main/firstyear ). It is broadcast from the home page.
Admissions sends out letters to students to send them to an Admitted website. This is part of the next steps. It was suggested to add information on Athletics and
Traditions.
Jen Busick Stewart announced that Kent Sumner posted past Student Affairs
Communications Group minutes on the Student Affairs website.
( http://greeks.oregonstate.edu/studentaffairs/student_affairs_communications_gro up.php
)