Rutgers  University—New  Brunswick  Strategic  Plan  Proposal  Submission  Form  

 Instructions  As  a  critical  component  of  the  campus’s  strategic  planning  process,  members  of  the  Rutgers  University–New  Brunswick  community—faculty,  staff,  and  students—are  invited  to  propose  projects  to  advance  the  excellence  of  the  campus.    Each  proposal  should:    

• align  with  one  or  more  of  the  strategic  priorities,  foundational  elements,  and  integrating  themes  of  the  University  Strategic  Plan;  

• be  cross-­‐cutting  for  New  Brunswick,  not  simply  housed  in  or  enhancing  a  single  unit;  • have  the  potential  for  significant  impact  and  benefit  for  New  Brunswick  and  Rutgers;  • leverage  existing  strengths  or  resources;  • require  limited,  or  phased-­‐in,  financial  resources.  

 Please  complete  the  form  on  the  following  page  as  a  Word  document  and  submit  it  as  an  email  attachment  to  NBStratPlanProposals@rutgers.edu.    All  proposals  must  be  submitted  by  April  15,  2014.    Provide  your  phone  number  and  email  address  on  the  form  so  the  Coordinating  Committee  or  one  of  its  subcommittees  can  reach  you  if  clarification  or  further  information  is  needed.    Be  sure  to  save  and  print  a  copy  of  your  proposal  for  your  records.      Guiding  Questions  The  following  questions  may  be  useful  in  formulating  your  proposal.    

1. In  addition  to  the  primary  strategic  priority,  foundational  element,  or  integrating  theme  addressed  in  the  proposal,  are  there  others  to  which  this  proposal  relates?  

2. What  needs  and  current  trends  are  addressed  by  this  proposal  (e.g.,  diversity  goals,  needs  and  advances  in  instructional  technology,  online  education,  organizational  streamlining,  revenue  enhancement)?  

3. Are  there  similar  initiatives  already  in  place  in  New  Brunswick?  If  so,  how  would  this  proposal  add  a  new  dimension  to  those  initiatives?  

4. What  individuals  and/or  groups  were  involved  in  developing  this  proposal?          

 

New  Brunswick  Strategic  Planning  Proposal    Proposal  Title:  Social  Media  Listening  Center    Proposal  Initiator:  Tony  Doody    Primary  Contact  Name  and  Phone  Number:    Tony  Doody  848-­‐932-­‐7213    Primary  Contact  Email  Address:  tony.doody@rutgers.edu    Primary  Strategic  Priority/Foundational  Element/Integrating  Theme  Addressed  (Select  one)    __  Envision  Tomorrow’s  University  __  Build  Faculty  Excellence    X    Transform  the  Student  Experience  __ Enhance  Our  Public  Prominence  __  Strong  Core  of  Sciences  and  Humanities  __  Inclusive,  Diverse,  and  Cohesive  Culture  __  Effective  and  Efficient  Infrastructure  and  Staff  __  Financial  Resources  Sufficient  to  Fund  Our  Aspirations  __  Robust  Shared  Governance,  Academic  Freedom,  and  Effective  Communication  __  Cultures,  Diversity,  and  Inequality—Local  and  Global  __  Improving  the  Health  and  Wellness  of  Individuals  and  Populations  __  Creating  a  Sustainable  World  through  Innovation,  Engineering,  and  Technology  __  Educating  Involved  Citizens  and  Effective  Leaders  for  a  Dynamic  World  __  Creative  Expression  and  the  Human  Experience  __  Measuring  Progress  and  Defining  Success    Proposal  Abstract  (brief  summary  of  the  proposal  –  250-­‐word  limit):    On  average,  Rutgers  University  is  mentioned  between  30,000  and  250,000  times  each  day  across  social  media  channels,  blogs,  forum  posts  and  online  news  sources.    This  new  method  of  communication  has  quickly  replaced  the  office  visit,  phone  call  or  email.  Now,  instantaneously,  students,  parents  and  alumni  are  sharing  their  opinions  both  positive  and  negative.  The  majority  of  these  comments  are  not  read  or  responded  to,  however,  some  departments  are  independently  trying  to  sift  through  and  engage  in  the  overwhelming  volume  of  comments  and  questions.    By  not  responding  in  a  coordinated  approach,  Rutgers  is  losing  the  opportunity  to  amplify  pride  around  positive  messages  and  allowing  ourselves  to  be  branded  by  phrases  such  as  “ruscrew.”      An  integrated  and  coordinated  approach  would  not  only  help  to  transform  the  student  experience,  but  also  enhance  our  public  prominence.  This  proposal  suggests  the  creation  of  a  central  “engagement  and  response  center”  in  New  Brunswick  using  a  monitoring  and  workflow  tool,  (i.e.  Radian6),  to  sift  through  and  collect  data  from  public  conversations  taking  place  via  social  media  about  Rutgers,  and  in  particular,  the  student  experience.    A  strategic  approach  would  allow  Rutgers  to  identify  specific  issues  of  concern,  share  university  accomplishments,  and  provide  a  formalized  workflow  to  respond  and  improve  services.    Potential  partners  include  Student  Affairs,  Athletics,  Admissions,  Alumni  Relations,  University  Relations,  Academic  Schools,  Public  Safety,  Office  of  Information  Technology,  Institutional  Research,  and  Continuing  Studies.  A  dedicated  facility  also  has  great  potential  for  teaching  and  research  as  demonstrated  at  Clemson  University’s  recently  created  listening  center.  

 

   FULL  PROPOSAL  DESCRIPTION    

“In academia, what are we all competing for? The best and the brightest. This center can give us a leg up. It’s unexplored space.”

–Jim Bottum,

Chief Information Officer and Vice Provost, Clemson University, referring to their new Social Media Listening Center

     

Social  media  sites  such  as  Twitter,  Instagram  and  Facebook  have  become  important  venues  for  traditional  college-­‐aged  students  to  connect  and  communicate  information.  A  2013  Pew  Research  Center  report  shows  90%  of  young  adults  (age  18-­‐29)  are  using  social  networking  sites  and  87%  of  all  American  adults  use  the  Internet.  Furthermore,  a  2013  EDUCAUSE  Center  for  Analysis  and  Research  study  shows  that  technology  enhances  student  engagement  by  facilitating  connections  to  peers,  instructors,  and  the  institution.        The  creation  of  a  central  “engagement  and  response  center,”  with  a  trained  network  of  faculty,  staff  and  students,  will  help  facilitate  connections  and  communication  across  the  New  Brunswick  campus;  respond  to  constituent  concerns  and  questions  in  an  efficient  and  timely  manner;  and  broadly  amplify  positive  accomplishments  of  students,  faculty,  staff  and  alumni.  By  using  a  monitoring  and  engagement  tool,  data  about  students’  experiences  and  opinions  is  captured  instantaneously.  A  technology-­‐rich  physical  space  that  supports  cross-­‐discipline  research  and  teaching  in  the  fast-­‐emerging  field  of  social  media  and  digital  technology  would  enhance  this  initiative.    Students  are  loudly  commenting  about  what  doesn’t  work  well  for  them–it  could  be  issues  or  concerns  with  WebReg,  Sakai  or  Degree  Navigator  or  students  posting  at  11:59  p.m.  when  wireless  stops  prior  to  the  deadline  for  an  on-­‐line  assignment  or  on  a  Saturday  when  they  need  to  wait  for  an  hour  to  travel  across  campus  to  work  or  an  event.  Social  media  outlets  are  the  contemporary  focus  group  and  survey  tool  with  a  notable  difference  from  traditional  methods–most  of  what  is  posted  is  public  and  available  for  all  to  see.    To  improve  the  student  experience,  we  need  to  be  able  to  listen,  acknowledge  concerns,  and  create  solutions  that  help  change  the  conversation  on  social  media  from  “RU  Screw”  to  “RU  Pride”    

The  social  media  listening  center  has  given  us  a  new  way  to  be  introspective  about  our  relationships  with  our  stakeholders  and  the  community  at  large”  

Jason  Thatcher,  Associate  Professor,  Department  of  Management,  Clemson  University    Specific  Initiative  Outcomes  

• Gather  feedback  to  improve  programs  and  services    • Respond  to  student  concerns  and  questions  • Celebrate  and  amplify  prideful  events    • Enhance  Rutgers  reputation  and  brand  awareness  • Raise  awareness  of  athletic,  research  and  departmental  programs.  • Develop  new  communication  tools  • Attract  talented  faculty,  staff,  and  students  • Manage  and  disseminate  information  during  crisis  • Increase  followership  for  future  connection  and  messaging  • Report  and  track  metrics  over  time  to  measure  impact  and  engagement  

 

 

Current  Use  Student  Life  piloted  a  social  media  strategy  team  comprised  of  professional  staff  and  student  leaders  during  the  2013  New  Student  and  Parent  Orientation  sessions.  Trained  student  leaders  “listened”  for  themes  and  issues  facing  incoming  students  and  engaged  with  them  to  help  identify  solutions,  guide  them  toward  resources,  and  forward  issues  to  appropriate  administrators  as  necessary.  Student  Life  expanded  the  concept  to  a  broader  team  in  the  fall  of  2013  and  in  the  spring  of  2014  began  to  incorporate  student  leaders  from  across  the  Division  of  Student  Affairs.    Biweekly  strategy  meetings  include  discussion  and  evaluation  of  past  week’s  responses,  trend  and  sentiment  analysis,  best  practice  examples,  external  case  studies,  analytics  and  summary  report  reviews,  and  strategic  coordination  of  major  event  promotions  across  channels  and  platforms.    The  advantage  of  a  large,  trained  and  distributed  student  and  administrative  network/team  is  increased  engagement,  authentic  voices,  and  responses  from  those  most  capable  of  giving  accurate  information.  Additionally,  there  is  an  inherent  value  to  large  numbers  and  potential  “impressions”  that  arise  from  the  viral  nature  of  social  media.  As  an  example,  imagine  the  impact  of  800  volunteer  dancers  (each  with  hundreds  to  thousands  of  followers)  tweeting  out  at  the  same  moment  the  accomplishment  of  raising  $622,533  for  Rutgers  Dance  Marathon.    The  message  of  “RU  Pride”  would  have  far  reaching  connection  to  prospective  students,  parents,  alumni,  etc.    A  student-­‐involved  approach  also  provides  experiential  learning  and  career  enhancing  skill  development.  The  National  Association  of  College  Employers  (NACE)  2014  job  outlook  report  identifies  the  top  skills  and  qualities  employers  seek  in  graduates  of  the  Class  of  2014  as  the:    1.     Ability  to  verbally  communicate  with  persons  in  and  outside  the  organization  2.   Ability  to  work  in  a  team  structure  3.   Ability  to  make  decisions  and  solve  problems  4.   Ability  to  plan,  organize,  and  prioritize  work  5.   Ability  to  obtain  and  process  information  6.   Ability  to  analyze  quantitative  data  7.   Technical  knowledge  related  to  the  job  8.   Proficiency  with  computer  software  programs  9.     Ability  to  create  and/or  edit  written  reports  10.       Ability  to  sell  or  influence  others    Most  all  these  competencies  are  developed  through  student  training  and  involvement  in  this  initiative.  

 Administrative  Partners  and  Accountability  Given  that  students’  concerns  cross  numerous  departments  in  New  Brunswick,  the  accountability  for  addressing  student-­‐focused  solutions  to  online  issues  in  a  timely  manner  may  best  be  placed  within  the  office  of  the  New  Brunswick  Chancellor  with  a  “chief  of  staff-­‐like  position.”      The  team  should  be  structured  to  include  areas  most  able  to  address  specific  student  issues  /  concerns:  

• Academic  Schools  • Student  Affairs  • Athletics  • Admissions  • University  Relations  • Public  Safety  • Office  of  Information  Technology  

 Other  University  Partners  

• Alumni  Relations  • Continuing  Studies    

 

 

Academic  and  Research  Partners  Social  media  listening  can  be  a  complimentary  tool  to  traditional  research  methods.  It  teaches  students  how  to  develop  search  criteria  and  topic  profiles  to  hone  in  on  specific  content  themes  and  online  conversations.  It  also  teaches  critical  analysis  of  how  to  best  communicate  and  respond  across  the  different  mediums  and  platforms.  The  opportunities  for  quantitative  analysis  of  large  volumes  of  data  are  also  immense.  Programs  that  might  benefit  include  but  are  not  limited  to:  

• Masters  of  Information  Sciences  with  specific  tracks  in  Digital  Media,  Strategic  Organization  and  Health  Communication    

• SCI  general  communication  undergraduates    • RBS  Marketing  track  in  undergraduate  and  graduate  programs  • SCI  Digital  Communication  minor  • SCI  Information  Technology  and  Informatics  • Marketing  Tract  in  grad  and  undergraduate  programs.  

 Platform  Recommendation  The  success  of  this  initiative  relies  on  a  platform  that  enables  organizations  to  listen  and  engage  in  conversations  across  social  media.  In  the  recent  pilot,  Student  Life  chose  Radian6  for  its  ability  to  retrieve  results  from  more  than  150  million  sites  and  sources  including:  

• Mainstream  News    • Blogs    • Forums    • Comments    • Photo  And  Video  Sharing  Sites    • Twitter  Firehose    • Public  Facebook  API      

Radian6  created  a  strategic  partnership  with  Twitter  that  gives  Radian6  “complete  access”  to  Twitter’s  500  million  public  tweets  per  day  and  was  also  chosen  by  Facebook  as  the  preferred  marketing  developer.  It  is  the  only  company  that  combines  their  data  with  leading  insights  partners  including  Klout,  OpenAmplify,  and  OpenCalais.  It  is  also  the  only  company  to  provide  historical  data  as  far  back  as  2008  allowing  analysis  and  research  of  trends  and  sentiment  over  time.    Radian6  is  currently  used  by  one  half  of  all  Fortune  100  companies  and  the  following  universities:  Clemson  University,  Purdue  University,  University  of  British  Columbia,  DeVry  University,  Washington  State  University  and  Queens  University.    RESOURCES  Ideally  this  initiative  would  take  place  in  a  dedicated,  high  visibility,  high  traffic  space  featuring  an  array  of  high  definition  displays  or  projections,  high-­‐end  workstations,  maximum  bandwidth  and  internet  speed  infrastructure,  security  systems,  and  Radian6  enterprise  software  systems  to  manage  workflow.  Additionally,  this  would  require  staff  training  and  IT  support  services.      This  initiative  could  be  phased  in  without  building  a  physical  structure  or  without  a  dedicated  administrator.      Potential  Costs:  Radian6  Enterprise  Solution  Annual  Contract     $50,000  Workstations  (PC’s)     $30,000  High  Definition  Video  Wall  six  80”  displays     $50,000  Crestron  SmartPanel  Automation  Systems     $30,000  Training   $10,000  Dedicated  administrator  (grade  7  w/  benefits)   $100,000  (would  benefit  the  model)    Subtotal   $270,000  Room  construction/renovation     $200,000  (optional  or  phased  in)  Furniture,  classroom  seating   $20,000    (optional  or  phased  in)    Total                 $470,000  

 

Proposed  Measures  to  Mark  Progress  or  Determine  Success  [Please  explain,  in  one  or  two  paragraphs,  how  progress  toward  achievement  of  the  initiative  will  be  measured  and  how  overall  success  will  be  determined.]    Metrics,  summary  reports,  and  dashboards  are  readily  available  through  the  Radian6  tool  to  measure  impact,  reach,  demographics,  and  increase  in  share  of  voice,  (compared  to  peer  institutions).  Reports  can  be  generated  to  track  and  document  response  to  student  concerns  and  questions.    Built  in  algorithms  can  quantify  positive,  neutral  and  negative  sentiment  over  time  as  far  back  as  2008.  Learning  outcomes  as  identified  by  NACE  can  also  be  measured  pre  and  post  student  involvement  with  this  initiative.    Additional  Strategic  Priorities  

• Envision  Tomorrow’s  University  • Measuring  Progress  and  Defining  Success  • Effective  and  Efficient  Infrastructure  and  Staff  • Build  Faculty  Excellence  • Creating  a  Sustainable  World  through  Innovation,  Engineering,  and  Technology    • Educating  Involved  Citizens  and  Effective  Leaders  for  a  Dynamic  World  

 EXAMPLES  AND  RESOURCES  10  Examples  of  Social  Media  Command  Centers      http://www.exacttarget.com/sites/exacttarget/files/10-­‐Examples-­‐of-­‐Social-­‐Media-­‐Command-­‐Centers.pdf    Academic  Use  Clemson  Social  Media  Listening  Center  in  Partnership  with  Dell  and  Powered  by  Radian6  http://www.ndapandas.org/Portals/ndapandas/Documents/Technology/Clemson  Social  Media  Listening  Center.pdf    Athletic  Use  Oregon  Ducks  Launch  College  Sports’  First  Social  Command  Center  Arizona  State  Athletics  Launches  Social  Media  Command  Center    SUMMARY  DASHBOARD  EXAMPLES    Word  Cloud  This  visual  representation  highlights  words  used  with  greatest  frequency  during  a  specific  period  in  time.  

 

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