Campus Community Policies

2.6.1 Contact with the Media and Media on Campus

The University of San Diego values creating and maintaining an open and collaborative relationship with the media. For the purpose of this policy, “media” includes but is not limited to print, television, radio, electronic, on-line and other means of mass communication, together with the people involved in their production.

• Employee and Student Contact with the Media

All contact with the media on behalf of the University of San Diego must be directed to and will be managed by the university’s Office of Public Affairs. No employee or student, except the president or those whom the president expressly authorizes, is authorized to speak on behalf of the university without first obtaining permission to do so through the Office of Public Affairs.

An employee does not need prior permission to speak with the media if the employee is not speaking on behalf of the university. If the employee is responding to media requests for professional expertise, the employee is encouraged to contact the Office of Public Affairs.

No employee or student is authorized to discuss with the media any confidential information, including but not limited to a student’s educational records or private personnel information, unless doing so has been approved in advance in writing by the president of the university in a manner consistent with applicable law.

• Media on Campus

A member of the media who wishes to come to the university campus to cover events and/or to interview university employees, students, on-campus speakers or on-campus guests must first contact the university’s Office of Public Affairs in order to obtain prior permission for the coverage and/or interview. The university will accommodate reasonable requests by the media. However, permission to access the campus, buildings and facilities of the university may be denied or rescinded at any time in the university’s sole and complete discretion. Media representatives who are on campus in violation of this policy may be asked to leave and, if necessary, escorted off campus.

This policy does not apply to media who are on campus to cover non-university events on the premises of The Immaculata.

This policy also does not apply to media requests involving or relating to intercollegiate athletics. Any such requests should be directed to the university’s Athletics Media Relations Office.

(October 5, 2007)