Public Relations




Establishing Positive Public Relations

Updated June 21, 2005; July 27, 2013

Written by Jim Hanson and Abby St. Lawrence for the CEDA Cost Committee



Your input and comments are much appreciated. Write to jim@wcdebate.com


1.     WORK WITH YOUR SCHOOL'S FINANCE DEPARTMENTS
Know the fee allocation and other relevant financial procedures of your college. Refer to your development office for specific information about your institution. Build up good relations so the people who are handling money speak positively of you.

2.     NETWORK WITH YOUR SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATORS
Get to know your Principal, Vice Principal, the academic division heads and administration officials--whoever is in charge. Attend staff functions in order to establish working relations with those who have power over fee allocations, donations, and development.

3.     KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR ALUMNI
Keep your own debate/speech alumni informed of the activities of the team and department. This information to alumni really helps when it comes to fund raising because alumni are much more likely to give when they know where their money is going.

4.     PR AND PROMOTE YOUR TEAM
Be sure to submit major team accomplishments throughout the year to any college publications that go out to alumni, parents, staff, faculty, etc. Also, try to get beginning-of-the-year and year-end summaries to such publications to pique interest about the team within the college community.

5.     KEEP GOOD BUDGET RECORDS
Keep careful records of your own team's budget in order to have adequate documentation to submit to budgetary committees. Such documentation makes fund disbursement easier for the committee and makes your chances of getting adequate funding greater.

6.     LOOK INTO ENDOWING YOUR PROGRAM
Do your own research on how to apply for endowments (See the Cost Committee Endowment Sheet). When you know the details of those processes, you'll have a better shot of getting something going on an endowment.

7.     KEEP YOUR TEAM VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
Host open houses for incoming students, consider an intramural debate tournament, put on public debate and speaking performances, keep other faculty, staff, and administration abreast of the team's performance. Make sure your students pre-arrange absences with their professors.