Internal Communications

Abstract view of the ceiling in Butler Library

The Office of Public Affairs works closely with its academic partners at schools, centers, departments, and institutes. We develop messaging for faculty, staff, and students about University policies and protocols, as well as for campus emergencies.

To get more involved in campus communications and to work with communicators across the University, sign up for the WeConnect listserv. You'll receive information about important events, communication workshops, job postings, and best practices. You'll also be able to share news from your division with the group and ask your colleagues for help promoting your events.

The Internal Communications team manages the WeConnect alliance of 400+ campus communicators, for whom we produce four lines of ongoing programming, which include:

  • Skill-based workshops (e.g., pitching stories to press, managing social media, and writing op-eds)
  • Workshops led by schools and departments that focus on sharing communication strategy in action
  • Workshops for both faculty and communicators, such as “Visualizing Science,” that promotes collaboration between Columbia’s research faculty, graphic designers, and storytellers
  • An eight-week professional development course open to all WeConnect members, titled “Introduction to Strategic Communications,” which is focused on audiences, purpose, and outcomes

Our team provides consulting services to Columbia’s academic centers and institutes to address their unique communication needs. We also offer WeConnect members one-on-one advising and mentoring for media relations, issues management, and crisis communications.

In addition, we advise campus business units, such as Finance, Human Resources, Health, the Registrar, as well as Facilities and Operations. We serve on several campus-wide working groups, such as the Emergency Management Operations Team (EMOT) and represent our unit to the Deans of Students and University Life. We also coordinate tactical communications activity among other working groups, including:

  • Campus access team for press, especially film and video by news media and commercial film productions
  • Managers of content for the light box displays along College Walk
  • Managers of digital signage in lobbies of buildings across campuses

The team supports special projects including coordination of cross-campus communication efforts, such as COVID information, press access during Commencement ceremonies, the annual Nobel Prize announcements, and other events as needed.

Contact Robert Hornsby, associate vice president or Cassandra Nathan, assistant director, to learn more or get help.