jWeb

Publication Review Process

"Publications" include: flyers, invitations, postcards, newsletters, brochures and any other printed material for distribution on or off campus.

Things to think about before developing a publication or promotional material:

  • What specific purpose does this piece serve in your department's overall marketing campaign?
  • Who is the target audience for this piece?
  • How will it be distributed?
  • Have you gained approval from your department chair, dean or vice president to cover costs associated with printing and distribution?
  • Are you and your department prepared to handle the results of this type of promotion i.e. increased phone calls, increased enrollment, etc.?
  • How will the effectiveness of this piece be evaluated in your overall marketing campaign?
  • Do you have the time and software capability to design the piece?

Steps:

  1. Consultation with Printing Services staff member.
  2. Arrange for Printing Services to do the work for you or decide to design the publication yourself.
    • If you elect to arrange for Print Services to do the work, you will just need to provide them with the necessary information to be featured in the publication (body copy) in a timely manner (1-2 weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb). Then, fill out a Publication Number Request form (found in the Forms Channel on the Work Life tab in JWeb) and a Print Order form (also found in JWeb under the Work Order channel) and turn them in to Printing Services. You can scan them and email them, fax them, walk them over, or drop them in campus mail. Then just wait for notification that your order is ready for pickup or that changes are necessary. (If you elect this method, there are no further steps for you, so resume reading the paragraph following step 5).
    • If you elect to design it yourself, college logos can be downloaded in JWeb on the Work Life tab Public Relations channel. No manipulation of any JSCC logo is permitted. If design of a new logo is needed for a campus club or organization, speak to Print Services or Communications about creating one. Before submitting your design(s) to Printing Services, make sure your publication is proofed by your department chair, dean and vice president as necessary. Make changes recommended by your department chair, dean and vice president before sending to Print Services.
  3. Fill out a copy of the Publication Number Request form found in the Forms Channel on the Work Life tab in JWeb. Printing and distribution information can be obtained from Printing Services.
  4. Deliver or campus mail your Publication Number request form and a copy of your publication to Print Services for review (electronic files preferred). If changes are indicated by Print Services, make the necessary changes and return to Print Services for assignment of a publication number.
  5. Fill out a Print Order form in Print Services or in JWeb under the Work Order channel. Take the Print Order form, Publication Number Request form and corrected copy of publication to Printing Services for final review and if approved, issuance of a publication number.

The Review Process

Once your materials have been submitted/created to Printing Services, after initial review, they will forward the information to the Director of Communications for final approval. Once approval is given, Printing Services will issue the publication number. All material whether printed on campus or off-campus, must be reviewed by the Jackson State Office of Communications. Adherence to TBR guidelines, consistency of style, quality, cost effectiveness and use of logo are the primary purposes of the review process. Your publication will not be printed without prior review by the Director of Communications and assignment of a publication number by Printing Services.

This entire process can take a while so plan ahead! Minimum time needed to review your publication and assign a publication number will depend on length and detail of the project, but 1-2 weeks is a good rule of thumb.

Publication FAQs

Why do we have to go through this process?

State law (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 12-7-104-106) requires that all public institutions of higher education adhere to specific quality and cost-monitoring procedures for publications printed by state colleges, universities and technical schools. Today, these publications and the expense associated with their production and distribution merit an increasingly high degree of monitoring to ensure accountability and efficiency. Initial legislation was enacted in 1976 that created the Higher Education Publications Committee (HEPC), which establishes the rules and regulations for most publications produced by college/university divisions. All institutions are required to follow the guidelines on their respective campuses.

How do I know what needs to go through this process and what doesn't?

Most publications must have a publication number displayed with the equal opportunity/affirmative action statement. Publication numbers are assigned by Print Services after the Director of Communications has reviewed the document. The best advice is: When in doubt - go through the review process anyway!

Examples of publications that require a publication number: Brochures, posters, calendars, pamphlets, flyers, event programs, postcards, handbills, etc.; Student-recruitment publications; Undergraduate and graduate catalogs; Admissions applications (unless part of another publication); Housing applications; Financial aid applications; Alumni and development solicitation materials; Seminar and workshop registration forms, brochures; Campus telephone directories; Faculty and student handbooks; Employee training manuals; Campus, college and departmental newsletters.

Certain printed materials intended solely for internal use may be excluded from the requirement that a publication number be affixed: Work-processing forms for internal use; Research project reports, generally not distributed; Research survey instruments, classroom test instruments; Instructional material; Personnel and fiscal policy manuals; Grade reports; Tickets for athletic and cultural events; Student newspapers; Traffic citations.

What if I need something immediately?

Emergencies will inevitably come and we will do everything possible to make your publication available to you as soon as possible. However, please plan ahead to ensure there is enough time to go through the review process to make sure that Jackson State publications are of the highest quality and efficiency.

What if I don't know how to create my publication?

Printing Services is available to help you create your publication. We encourage you to use the expertise available in Printing Services to create brochures, flyers, postcards, tickets, etc. for you, saving you valuable time and costly revisions later in the process. Yes, there will be a small fee, but you must consider the savings of your time and frustration. In most cases, the fees are less than $20.