Communications & Media Relations Policies

Franklin & Marshall College commonly receives publicity or photography requests from firms that have worked or are currently working with F&M offices or departments to provide goods or services in construction, design, catering, technology, equipment, research, marketing, multimedia, security or any number of other areas.

While most of these requests come directly to the contracting office or project manager, the Office of Communications must participate in approval of use and subsequent review of all materials to ensure they conform to College guidelines for use of the trademarked Franklin & Marshall College name, and also to ensure accurate representation of College projects. Name-use must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Franklin & Marshall College photography/publishing rights and permissions policy.

To help shepherd requests from vendors, architects, contractors and other promotional entities that hope to feature a relationship with Franklin & Marshall or a College project in their promotional or awards materials, the Office of Communications provides this policy and the guidelines outlined on this website for offices on campus.

This policy does not apply to licensing requests for use of the Franklin and Marshall name, logo or word mark on any manufactured products (apparel, hats, key chains, kitchenware, etc.), including goods produced for "giveaways" and wholesale or retail products intended for sale. Such requests should be directed to the associate vice president for administration or the vice president for communications.

This policy also does not apply to the use of the College name in connection with academic or scholarly relationships, such as speakers/honoraria, research collaborations, or grant-making foundations, societies or agencies making awards to the College or its faculty for scholarly research. It is primarily focused on facilities-related work, conferences and events, consulting agreements, technology services, and major College service providers.

This policy applies to promotional materials, including websites, brochures, videos, portfolios, postcards, award submissions, public presentations, advertorials, case studies and other electronic or print materials intended for public consumption in which businesses might request inclusion of the Franklin & Marshall College name or image.

New contracts with vendors initiated after July 1, 2012, must include the following language notifying the external entity of the policy requiring review of name-use (existing contracts renewed after July 1, 2012, should be amended with this language):

Franklin & Marshall College retains the right, at its sole discretion, to review and approve any and all informational, promotional and advertising materials that use the name, trademarks, service marks, logos, and/or representative image(s) of the College, or that describe College projects and/or define the relationship with the College; therefore, [the contracted entity] agrees to present such materials to the College prior to their distribution or publication, in accordance with the "Franklin & Marshall College photography/publishing rights and permissions policy" (posted online at www.fandm.edu).

The name-use review process varies for:

1) Photo/General content requests: These are requests submitted by businesses related to photographs or images of an F&M project and/or requests to include text or images related to F&M projects, or related to business or paid service relationships, in electronic or print materials;

2) News or trade articles: These are requests submitted by the business to participate in news interviews or news articles speaking about the F&M project or initiative; and

3) Award applications: These are requests to apply for awards for projects completed for an F&M office or department.

If you have questions, contact Vice President for Communications.

For Photo/General Content Requests

Franklin & Marshall College commonly receives publicity or photography requests from firms that have worked or are currently working with F&M offices or departments. The guidelines here outline how F&M's Office of Communications works with businesses that submit requests related to photographs or images of an F&M project and/or requests to include text or images related to F&M projects, or related to business or paid service relationships, in electronic or print materials.

NOTE: Photography is preferred before occupancy of the project space.

1. 1. The contracting office should inform vendors, contractors, architects and other commercial entities of the Franklin & Marshall College photography/publishing rights and permissions policy before they begin their project, and the business should sign the policy affirming their understanding.

   2. When a request is received, the F&M contracting office on campus makes the determination based on the office's working relationship with the architect/contractor/vendor whether you support the idea of the business using this project in its promotional materials. This applies for requests for general press releases announcing that a firm worked on the project; requests to include the project in company brochures and/or on their website; and/or requests to use the project in applying for awards (SEE the supplemental information about award submissions).

   3. If the F&M contracting office or individual (often the project manager) makes the determination that you have no objection to the use, the contracting office then refers the architect/contractor/vendor to the Office of Communications for general instructions about how they're allowed to use the F&M College name in association with the company's proposed images or content.

   4. If the architect/contractor/vendor agrees to comply with the College's guidelines and policies for use, the Office of Communications learns from the company its intended schedule for photography or producing content, and Communications forwards that information to the contracting office on campus. At the same time, the Office of Communications will inform the company that when the contracting office has agreed to the final schedule and the terms of photography and scheduling (outlined below), the Office of Communications will require that the company circle back to Communications to learn the process for securing passes to access campus and to complete documentation relating to photography and content permissions.

   5. In the case of photography:

      1. The F&M contracting office works with the firm to arrange a time for the photographer to photograph, with the contracting office providing any guidance to the firm about appropriate times to shoot, any limitations, and whether the contracting office will require that the photographer be escorted by a staff member in the contracting office (the College's Insurance and Risk Management staff require that outside photographers be escorted on roof areas and other areas of risk not of general access to the general public).

      2. After the contracting office has finalized scheduling, the office should direct the architect/contractor/vendor to provide the Office of Communications with all the information about when the company's photographer will arrive on campus and who the participants on the photo shoot will be. The Office of Communications will provide the company with instructions for picking up access passes before the photographer ventures to the project site. This allows Communications to answer any final questions about permissions.

      3. In some cases, the company may request existing images taken by a College photographer, and the Office of Communications will speak with the architect/contractor/vendor about permissions and use. The Office of Communications will not hire a photographer to take photos on behalf of architect/contractor/vendors requesting photos for promotional use.

   6. After the content for the promotional materials has been developed or the photographs taken, the Office of Communications will direct the company to submit to the Office of Communications the page proofs, press release, case study, or awards application content, including images, in mock-up or layout form. Communications staff will review them, sending them also to the contracting office to ensure accuracy (SEE the separate supplemental instructions for awards requests).

   7. If the content is accurate and meets guidelines, the Office of Communications approves the use request and final materials.

For Vendor Requests to Include F&M projects in News or Trade Articles

Franklin & Marshall College commonly receives publicity or photography requests from firms that have worked or are currently working with F&M offices or departments. The guidelines here outline how F&M's Office of Communications works with businesses that submit requests related to participation in news interviews or news articles speaking about an F&M project or initiative.

1. 1. Vendors, contractors, architects and other commercial entities should be informed of the "Franklin & Marshall College photography/publishing rights and permissions policy" before they begin their project, and should sign the policy affirming their understanding.

   2. When a request is received, the F&M contracting office makes the determination based on the working relationship with the architect/contractor/vendor whether you support the idea of the company speaking to the news media about the project or writing an article about the project.

   3. If the contracting office has no concerns that the contractor/vendor/architect can speak accurately about the project, the contracting office should refer the company to the Office of Communications for a final determination.

   4. For requests to interview the architect/contractor/vendor for quotes for a trade article, the Office of Communications will ask if we can suggest to the trade publication that the reporter also interview F&M's project manager or College representative, who is the authority on the project. The Office of Communications also will instruct the architect/contractor/vendor in acceptable parameters for speaking about the F&M project.

   5. For requests for the architect/contractor/vendor to submit his or her own written article to a trade publication, the Office of Communications will instruct the architect/contractor/vendor that the College requires review of the article before it is submitted.

   6. After the Office of Communications receives the article, it will be sent to the project manager in the F&M contracting office to review it for accuracy. After Communications receives the reviewed document from the F&M contracting office, Communications staff will review it for proper use of the Franklin & Marshall College name in accordance with College guidelines.

   7. The Office of Communications will return the final approved edited copy to the architect/contractor/vendor, with a copy also to the F&M contracting office.

Supplemental Award Application Procedure

Franklin & Marshall College commonly receives publicity or photography requests from firms that have worked or are currently working with F&M offices or departments. The guidelines here outline how F&M's Office of Communications works with businesses that submit requests to apply for awards for projects or programs completed for an F&M office or department.

1. Vendors, contractors, architects and other commercial entities should be informed of the "Franklin & Marshall College photography/publishing rights and permissions policy" before they begin their project, and should sign the policy affirming their understanding.

2. When the time comes to review awards applications, the contracting office at F&M assumes a significant role in reviewing both the information the architect/contractor/vendor can release about the project and also the architect/contractor/vendor's description about the company's role in the project.

3. The contracting office, in cooperation with the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, makes the determination whether a firm should be encouraged to submit a project for an award for an F&M project, based on the firm's work on the project and relationship with the College.

4. With agreement that the company may proceed, the F&M contracting office should direct contractors and vendors approved to submit projects for awards to submit the package of all text and materials first to the F&M contracting office for review before it is submitted to the Office of Communications. (Even if photos were previously approved or secured through the Office of Communications, the full materials should be submitted first to the F&M contracting office).

5. First review by the F&M contracting office ensures that the VP for Finance and Administration or other appropriate senior officer can be consulted regarding any content that the College has not released or does not want to appear in the award application.

6. First review by the F&M contracting office also ensures that the projects are being described accurately and that the Office of Communications does not approve inaccurate information in the process of reviewing appropriate use of the Franklin & Marshall College name.

7. The contracting office should inform companies that the Office of Communications requires 8-10 business days in advance of the application deadline to review the complete package of materials, so firms should plan accordingly to submit to the contracting office for preliminary review. (This notification to the company is important, because although the Office of Communications cannot be held responsible for missed application deadlines, some contractors don't understand that this review function at an institution of the size of F&M is not carried out within a division of Facilities, and that the Communications staff has many other communications responsibilities for the College).

8. Photos that the company requests to schedule separately to secure images for the award application must be arranged following the above-outlined photography process.

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Policy Maintained by: Office of Communications, Vice President for Communications
Last Reviewed: January 10, 2017