Tools for Communication
ALL work order forms and tools for communication are now located on my.newpaltz.edu
For all mail-related inquiries, please call (845) 257-3122
Office of Communication & Marketing
Phone: (845) 257-3245
Fax: (845) 257-3345
Haggerty Administration Building 411
1 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561-2443
Suzanne Grady
Director of Communication & Marketing
E-mail: gradys@newpaltz.edu
Vicki Vincent
Secretary
E-mail: vincentv@newpaltz.edu
Ashley Nester
Communication Assistant
E-mail: nestera@newpaltz.edu
Melissa Kaczmarek
Media Relations Manager
E-mail: kaczmarm@newpaltz.edu
Randy Pettit
Content Producer
E-mail: pettitr@newpaltz.edu
Digital Media Office
Phone: (845) 257-3245
Fax: (845) 257-3345
Student Union Building 40
Matthew Skillman
Digital Media Manager
E-mail: skillmam@newpaltz.edu
Justin Shumway
Web Designer
E-mail: shumwayj@newpaltz.edu
Lindsay Lennon
Web Content Producer
E-mail: lennonl@newpaltz.edu
Michael Koczanski
Video Producer
E-mail: koczansm@newpaltz.edu
John Oles
Social Media Manager
E-mail: olesj@newpaltz.edu
Design, Print & Mail Services
Haggerty, 511
(845) 257-3971
(845) 257–3997 Fax
Mary Kastner
Director of Design, Print & Mail Services
kastnerm@newpaltz.edu
x3241
Laura Kniffen
Publications Coordinator
Andrea Durbin
Writer/Editor
E-mail: durbina@newpaltz.edu
x3234
Jeff Lesperance
Senior Designer
lesperaj@newpaltz.edu
x3242
Lorna Platt
Keyboard Specialist 2
plattl@newpaltz.edu
x3971
Print Services
Haggerty, 8
(845) 257-2646
(845) 257–3997 Fax
Jim Lyons
Print & Mail Services Manager
lyonsj@newpaltz.edu
x2646
Jeffrey Baker
Digital Imaging Technician
bakerj@newpaltz.edu
x3127
Mail Services
Lettis, Stephen
Mail Clerk
Office: HAB 26
Phone: (845) 257-3122
Morgan, Sonya
Mail Clerk
Office: HAB 26
Phone: (845) 257-3122
Poczciwinski, Lynne
Mail Clerk
Office: HAB 26
Phone: (845) 257-3122
Rizza, Cherie
Mail Service Coord.
Office: HAB 26
Phone: (845) 257-3122
E-mail: huntc@newpaltz.edu
Other Campus PR Contacts:
Brian Savard
Sports Information Director, Athletics
E-mail: savardb@newpaltz.edu
Phone: (845) 257-3927
Smulcheski, Fran
Art Services Assist
Office: CT118B
Phone: (845) 257-3858
E-mail: smulchef@newpaltz.edu
We manage:
- General news and event releases [how to | view releases]
- Design Services
- Campus Digital Signage
- Emergency communication (cancellation and delays)
- Experts Database
- Media Relations
- Mail Services
- my.newpaltz.edu, in collaboration with Computer Services
- News Pulse
- NPAlert
- Print Services
- RSS Feeds
- Web Management: The college's main Web site, www.newpaltz.edu, and departmental sites
- The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art media relations and publicity
- New Paltz Connect Monthly E-Newsletter
- The New Paltz Magazine
To read our comprehensive guidelines, visit the New Paltz Style Guide.
All of us in Communication & Marketing look forward to working with you. Please feel free to stop by our office located in Haggerty Administration Building, Room 411 or call us at (845) 257-3245 if you have any questions.
Media Relations
News Releases
One of the most effective ways of enhancing the image of a college such as SUNY New Paltz is making the public aware of the accomplishments of its students, faculty, staff, and programs. Your assistance in making us aware of research, awards, speaking engagements, and other newsworthy activities will do a great deal in helping us further the College’s image and name recognition.
The Office of Communication & Marketing staff is glad to assist members of academic and other administrative departments in promoting upcoming university-related events such as lectures, concerts, and exhibitions. In order to help you with a planned event, we need to receive the information at least four weeks in advance of the event to ensure time to prepare the release and adequately market it to the media. The more lead time, the better our chances are of obtaining good publicity. We are not, however, responsible for ensuring a full house!
Releases that have the most appeal to media, but historically are the most difficult to prepare, are stories regarding individual achievements or awards. These stories must be planned in advance to generate quality media interest. For example, if a department is planning a formal event to award scholarships, a release announcing the event should be prepared and distributed up to a week before the event. Trying to sell a news release after an event is extremely difficult.
The information should be provided in a concise manner and should answer the questions "Who, What, When, Where, Why and How." If there is pertinent background information, such as a vita, highlight the key points that define the person's most distinguishing accomplishments and characteristics to help us "sell" the person and event to the media. When the Office of Communication & Marketing prepares news releases and other written documents, it uses the SUNY New Paltz Editorial Style Guide, AP Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of Style, and Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as resources to ensure consistency in our written image.
Whenever possible, try to get photographs of a guest speaker or some other visual element of the event. We only need one copy (photograph or a high-resolution electronic image), as we will scan it and distribute it to the media electronically. When you do provide images, include a suggested caption (with full names of people in the picture, including department affiliation for employees and year of study and major for students and alumni) and appropriate credits (photographer's name/affiliation) that should accompany the picture.
School of Fine and Performing Arts, School of Business, Athletics
While the Office of Communication & Marketing generates and distributes news releases covering most issues and events on campus, several offices work in conjunction with the Office of Communication & Marketing to produce news releases specific to their department.
School of Fine and Performing Arts: The arts services assistant coordinates news releases, advertising, and promotions supporting performances, lectures, exhibitions, and other events originating in the School of Fine and Performing Arts.
School of Business: The assistant to the dean coordinates news releases and promotional activities regarding the School of Business.
Athletics: The sports information director coordinates news releases and all media contact regarding athletics results, and manages the Athletics Department website in consultation with the College’s Office of Communication and Marketing.
News Availabilities
Often the media requests time, before or after an event, to interview a guest lecturer or artist. When you make arrangements for a visitation, please ask if that person would be willing to be interviewed and if the person has a preference as to when. Most media outlets prefer it before an event in order to make deadline. Ideally, the guest will be flexible. Telephone interviews in advance are not uncommon and serve as a good promotional tool for an upcoming event.
Working with you and your guest, our office will arrange a time and place for the interview. An Office of Communication and Marketing representative or a departmental representative will usually be on hand to monitor and assist where needed.
SUNY New Paltz Experts
The Office of Communication & Marketing routinely links reporters with faculty members who have expertise in a specific area. Providing subject matter experts gives individual faculty members and the College increased positive visibility in the community and peer areas. Communication & Marketing’s online expert database, at www.newpaltz.edu/experts, provides media and community groups with ready access to experts. The database is built from profiles submitted by faculty members. To create a profile and be part of the database, login to my.newpaltz.edu. Click on Communication and Marketing and choose Expert Database Profile.
Global Reach through the World Wide Web
The College’s website is managed by the Office of Communication & Marketing. Our Web presence plays a vital role in extending our voice and image around the world and is a major recruitment tool for prospective students and employees. The Digital Media Office creates and maintains the College's main Web pages and is charged with ensuring that all other Web pages meet specific guidelines, such as visual imaging and disability access. Specific guidance on university Web guidelines is contained in the Web Guidelines section of Our Voice, Our Image.
E-Newsletters
The Office of Communication & Marketing is responsible for producing the bi-monthly News Pulse faculty/staff e-newsletter and the New Paltz Connect e-newsletter for alumni and donors. News Pulse and Connect rely on input from the campus community.
- News Pulse is designed to highlight activities and achievements involving faculty, staff, students and alumni. Individuals can submit input to News Pulse online at my.newpaltz.edu. Click on Communication and Marketing and choose Submit Content to News Pulse.
- Current and past issues can be viewed online at www.newpaltz.edu/newspulse.
Emergency Cancellations and Delays Policy
At SUNY New Paltz, classes will be cancelled or delayed only under extreme circumstances, such as severely inclement weather or other emergency situations. Students, faculty and staff have the ability to have emergency notifications sent to their cell phone. For instructions, go to http://www.newpaltz.edu/npalert/. If classes are delayed or cancelled, the Office of Communication & Marketing is responsible for notifying local radio stations, sending NPAlert messages directly to you, and posting the information on the College’s home page (www.newpaltz.edu), the INFO line, and sending e-mail messages to all employees and students. In the fall, the Office of Communication & Marketing distributes a notice that describes the Emergency Cancellations and Delays Policy and lists the media we will contact. A copy of the policy is posted online at http://www.newpaltz.edu/emergency/policy.php.
