Peer Support for Peanuts: The UCSF Communicators Network

Sarah Paris, Director of Communications, UCSF School of Medicine

The UCSF School of MedicineOrganizational 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 AudiencesDepartments & Centers• Newsletters / Publications• Internal Communications• Events• Departmental WebsitesSchool 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 GroupConsensus: 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 practicesLong term:• Campus strategic communications plan• Develop data to bring more recognition to ROI

of communications in a budget-challenged environment