A small Christian university has called in Business Communicators 2.0 to help discuss the best way or ways to communicate the importance of athletics to all constituents. At the same time the university has decided to start a football program for the fall of 2010.
First it is important to understand the background of this university and its athletic programs. The school has eight sports, four each for men and women. Athletics were started at the school primarily to help increase enrollment, not necessarily with much emphasis put on winning. For many years the programs did what the school wanted them to do. Students came to the school to participate in these programs; without these programs they would not have come. The programs were not winning, therefore, creating a high turnover of coaches as the coaches wanted to win but were not given the resources to do so. In response, the school decided to offer better scholarships to attract better players. It worked because the programs started winning and even won many national championships. This helped to also recruit more students who wanted to attend a school that was winning and where there was huge excitement when the teams played.
So where is the problem? The problem is the negative image of the athletic programs as perceived by the constituents of the university: the community, the students, the faculty, and the alumni. Some of the complaints include the following: too much money being put into athletics, poor academics from the athletes, disrespect for and ill-treatment of athletes’ housing (usually off-campus), and large percentage of athletes not graduating. Furthermore, most of the athletes do not profess to be Christians and risk being a negative influence on the students around them.
The Christian university needs Business Communicators 2.0 to create a plan that would communicate to its constituents the benefits and advantages of such athletic programs, thus creating a positive image of the university’s athletics. It faces the challenges of turning something considered negative into a positive for the college.
Furthermore, Business Communicators 2.0 needs to develop a plan to inform these same constituents that the university will introduce football in the fall of 2010. It must dispel any preconceived ideas and stereotypes as it presents this as a benefit to all associated with the university.
I can see where this could be a perception problem with all of the negative press at times. I am thinking as a possible alternative Business Communcators 2.0 taking a group of students that have graduated that participated in various sports, interview them about their experience at college as well as their current position with emphasis on the role academics and athletics in their college experience has assisted them in their career path. Take those interviews and place them on the college website, college blog and in college recruitment literature, all items that are placed in public domain to educate and reduce the criticism of the oppents.
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteBusiness Communicators 2.0 has a big job to persuade the stakeholders of the University that the athletic program is a good thing. Another angle they could take in their communications is to show statistics on how offering an athletic program brings in money, which then allows for new programs and more students--with the ultimate goal of growth, more technology and better academics.
I also like Dean's idea--having someone else tell the story usually is a big hit for businesses. Business Communicators 2.0 will have to appeal to those students/parents that are not interested in sports and find the niche to affect them. Again, supplying resources of valid statistics or research can help to persuade in this area.
Good post!
Thanks, Anita
I really like both of your ideas on this. Doing the interviews and having them out where people can see them or read them would be great.
ReplyDeleteAlso, showing how these programs bring in money and what they do for the school.
On another note, they say for every 1 football player that comes to your school another 2 students will follow.
Good start to your blog, Jim, and the discussion is starting well.
ReplyDeleteI think that the basis of Christianity is to accept and to teach and that could be incorporated in the athletic program. Although its sports I think that you could use some Christian principles in the athletic program and changing the requirements. Offering feedback from the students and surveying them on the issues that made their experience favorable or not during the time that they are still enrolled would help. I think that some of the incoming athletes had no knowledge of specifically what it meant by Christian College. When you talk about scholarships and attracting better players do you mean only based on sports. I think that the benefits and the advantages should include offering the athletes information and knowledge based on the practice of Christianity. This would help them to realize their part in their own success and the success of the University.
ReplyDelete