As the UW community works in solidarity to meet the challenges of this time, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to share helpful, accurate information with our various audiences. For those faculty and staff who will be authoring communications during this time -- newsletters, website content, social media posts, and others -- this page provides key messages and guidelines for effective communication.
General Communication / Email Newsletters
If you plan to send a newsletter or chair’s note during the spring quarter, please consider the following key messages and content ideas in crafting communications addressing this unprecedented time:
- The College is open and operating under restricted operations.
- The College remains committed to carrying out its research and teaching missions and will do so through restricted operations in spring quarter.
- In an effort to “flatten the curve” through measures like social distancing that slow the outbreak of COVID-19, all University learning will be conducted remotely in the spring. This decision reflects the University’s commitment to protecting the health of our students, faculty, and staff.
- The College is adapting quickly to a remote learning environment.
- Faculty have worked quickly and creatively to reimagine their coursework for a remote learning and teaching environment. And as our students and faculty get used to this new environment, College and department leadership look for ways to make institutional resources available, including technology, instructional support, and food and financial support.
- While this move to remote instruction presents challenges, our phenomenal faculty and students are responding with the creativity and resilience that are core to the UW.
- [Share examples of how your department is supporting innovative learning and teaching during this time.]
- The College is working rapidly and creatively to support our community.
- As difficult as this situation has been, we are inspired by the strength and resilience of the people across our University community who have been working tirelessly, partnering with health authorities and government officials to combat this public health crisis and its countless ripple effects.
- We are humbled in this regard to be part of an institution that is on the frontlines in so many ways — from our dedicated health-care professionals who are caring for patients and helping to provide more widespread testing, to our researchers and faculty who are working to find a vaccine, mapping the spread of disease, and countering the surge of coronavirus misinformation amidst public uncertainty and fear.
- [Share how your department is supporting students and the community during this time.]
Social Media Recommendations
During this time of social distancing, our social media platforms can be increasingly meaningful points of connection for our audiences. As you craft posts, this is a time to focus on being helpful, hopeful, and thoughtful. Consider the following recommendations when developing posts:
- Share and retweet posts created by UMAC and the College.
- Point your audiences to central resources available to support students, frontline healthcare professionals, and the broader UW community. washington.edu/together/ is a good place to start.
- Share stories of how people in your department are pulling together to help one-another and the community.
- Share about new or reimagined course offerings.
- Highlight examples of creativity in teaching and learning.
- Share stories of relevant research and scholarship that support the community, advance a field, or otherwise enrich lives.
- Share digital engagement opportunities offered by your department and those you think your audiences would enjoy. Share other department’s digital events, community events, etc. Our audiences are looking for ways to engage, and we can help identify and provide those opportunities. Looking for some examples? Check out the reimagined ArtSci Roundup and UWAA’s Stronger Together page.
- Let UW Medicine and public health officials take the lead in commenting directly on the virus and its trajectory and implications.
Questions about what to post and what to avoid? Contact the College’s Marcomm team: asinfo@uw.edu