About a month ago, Steven Naru took over as the interim vice president of strategic communications and external relations, now primarily housed on the first floor of the Troy Building. He is heading up the newly-formed portfolio while a search for a vice president position, in which he is being considered, is conducted. This new division is a result of reorganization that entered the planning phase during the 2005-2006 planning process and began to be implemented with the retirements of David Haviland ’64, former vice president for institute advancement, and Larry Snavley, former vice president for government and community relations.
The new division primarily includes staff from the Office of Communications and Government and Community Relations. It is aimed at improving and facilitating communications with regard to school events, press coverage, and policy topics of interest to RPI. Some of the consolidation is also physical in nature. Media Relations, formerly housed in the Hedley Building in downtown Troy, has moved to the former financial aid building, saving time and expense for employees who formerly had to make many trips back and forth each day.
The division’s first event took place this past Friday with the Roundtable on Innovation and Economic Development. President Shirley Ann Jackson and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Sandy Baruah hosted a discussion on the “quiet crisis” affecting American industry.
Naru indicated that it was through events like the roundtable that the logic of his division’s makeup is apparent. The government relations part of the division talks to local, state, and national leaders on issues that interest the Institute and makes them aware of events and discussions on those issues. The media relations aspect of the new division spreads the word to the media and other interested parties, serving to bring attention to events and issues important to RPI. From there, many other facets of the division get involved, from event organizers and photographers to speech writers.
One of the more significant functions of the Office of Strategic Communications and External Relations involves helping various departments and organizations within RPI contact students, alumni, and others. While the division will not take on the expense of every other department’s promotions, Naru indicated that one of his office’s purposes is “outreach to other portfolios, to create integrated marketing and communication plans,” which will help departments in thinking about their campaigns, implementing them, and fitting them into the larger framework of promoting RPI to the world beyond campus.
