A message from University Communications Vice President Kyle Henley:
I’m pleased to introduce a new design for Around the O. This fresh take on the University of Oregon’s digital news platform puts a premium on visual storytelling and demonstrates the impact of our faculty, staff and students’ work in UO research labs and classrooms.
The new platform was developed internally by staff in the Division of University Communications, with a focus on using a contemporary mix of photography, video, graphics and words to tell high-impact stories about the achievements of the UO community. It is optimized for social media, showcases our latest videos and gives us a powerful new platform to share stories that define what it means to be a Duck.
It’s also designed to be flexible, serving external audiences — alumni, donors, parents, prospective students, the media and more — as well as providing specific information that both UO students and faculty and staff need to be successful. The new design presents all of the UO latest news on a single page, organized into sections that reflect the life and mission of the university:
- Academics & Research spotlights our best stories about UO’s core mission of education and discovery. We’re working collaboratively with units, schools and colleges across campus as never before to uncover these stories and to share them broadly in a rich and engaging format.
- Campus News covers important information that affects the UO — whether it’s the latest news from Johnson Hall, a gift that amplifies our reach or details about state and federal issues that affect the university.
- The Student Life section, managed in collaboration with the Division of Student Life, is designed as a clearinghouse for information that’s important to undergraduate and graduate students.
- The Workplace section demonstrates our renewed focus on internal communications, keeping UO faculty and staff up to date on important HR, academic affairs, policy and job-related news — everything from parking and construction to trainings and benefits info.
- In The News tracks the worldwide media attention focused on the University of Oregon.
Stories are arranged chronologically in each section, and clicking on a section banner provides the viewer with the latest of stories in that section. The main page prominently features links to our Oregon Experts and For Journalists web resources that help us connect the media to all the expertise and knowledge the UO has to offer.
The page also includes a feature box highlighting the university’s best social media and the latest news on the ongoing $2 billion fundraising campaign. Finally, a calendar box shows the latest happenings covered in Around the O with a link to the main campus events calendar.
All of the past Around the O content will remain on the site, and a robust search function means you’ll be able to quickly find past stories. In the coming months, we will update our email strategy related to Around the O, with the goal of reducing the volume of emails that are sent across campus by aggregating content for specific audiences – external, students, and faculty and staff. Look for some of those changes to roll out later this spring.
I’d just emphasize that this is an interactive and iterative process. We’re constantly looking for ways to get better and to serve campus, and I’d welcome input and suggestions for ways we can continue to improve Around the O. Don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
The UO has amazing stories to tell, and University Communications is committed to working with partners across campus to share those stories with the world. Advances in communication technology have given our Around the O platform a huge opportunity to connect with important audiences in ways that rival traditional media outlets. When we couple our high-impact storytelling with social media, e-communications and other channels, our reach is limitless.
It’s an honor to serve the University of Oregon community. Thanks and Go Ducks!
Kyle Henley
Vice President, University Communications