Publication Creation and Review

Creating a Publication

Points to consider when developing a publication or promotional material:

• Do I have the proper resources to produce this publication? (Often, a publication will require the expertise of a graphic design professional.)
• What is the purpose of this piece? How does it fit in your department's overall marketing efforts?
• Who is the target audience?
• How will the publication be distributed?
• Have you gained approval from your department chair, supervisor, dean and/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 telephone calls, increased enrollment)?
• How will the effectiveness of this piece be evaluated in your overall marketing efforts?

The Review Process

APSU's Office of Public Relations and Marketing has certain criteria to determine whether a publication needs to be submitted for review and approval. Per University policy, this office is the campus unit designated by the APSU president to review publications for approval.

You must send a publication for review if it meets any one of the following four criteria:

• The publication is being printed off campus.
• Printing and/or design costs exceed $50.
• The publication is being distributed off campus.
• The publication is for an on-campus event that is open to the public.

Publications meeting any of the above criteria must have the APSU logo or respective unit identifier and combined Tennessee Board of Regents/affirmative action statement, which is described in greater detail in this section.

(Publications that do not require review may include the official wordmark, unit identifier, APSU logo or other associated trademarks, such as the Governor, the seal or Let's Go Peay! provided they do not alter the mark. The same applies for the TBR/affirmative action statement. Quality control for this will be in the hands of the department producing such items.)

Your publication must be accompanied by the Publication Approval Form. All information must be provided on the form. You must deliver both a clean copy of the publication and the approval form to our office, either in person or via campus mail, prior to approval.

Compliance with TBR guidelines, consistency of style, quality, cost effectiveness and correct use of logo are the primary purposes of the review process. All publications submitted must have this affirmative action statement:

Austin Peay State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The Director of Affirmative Action has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and can be reached at 601 College Street, Browning Bldg. Room 7A, Clarksville, TN 37044, 931-221-7178, nondiscrimination@apsu.edu. (publication number)

For use on printed publications and advertisements where space prohibits the standard statement: APSU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact nondiscrimination@apsu.edu. (Publication number)

During the review, staff will edit the publication for both copy and design elements. The latest edition of The Associated Press Stylebook is used in the editing of publications. Also, when applicable, staff will suggest more economical methods to print and distribute your publication.

No publication number will be assigned until all required information is received by Public Relations and Marketing. Staff may request to see proofs containing corrections before the required publication number is given.

Frequently Asked Questions About Publications

Why is this process necessary?

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.

Which publications need to be reviewed?

Basically, if your publication is printed with the monetary use of government funding and uses the Austin Peay State University logo, the piece should be reviewed by Public Relations and Marketing. However, when in doubt, submit your material for review.

Examples (not exhaustive) of publications that require a publication number

• Brochures, posters, calendars, pamphlets, flyers, event programs, postcards, handbills.
• 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, etc.
• Faculty and student handbooks
• Employee training manuals
• Campus, college and departmental newsletters

Types of publications do not require a review and publication number

• Work-processing forms for internal use
• Research project reports generally not distributed
• Research survey instruments and 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 a publication reviewed immediately?

Public Relations and Marketing is allowed three working days to review your publication, from the moment you submit it. However, we understand last-minute situations happen. In such cases, we will attempt to review your publication and assign it a number as soon as possible.

Public relations and marketing campaigns are essential to your program's success. Certain materials, such as brochures, require an extraordinary amount of time to complete, so plan ahead.

How do I create a publication?

Often, creating a publication requires certain graphic design software and expertise. Printing Services in Woodward Library is available to assist you with those needs. For more information, visit the Printing Services website.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding publications, contact Melony Shemberger, assistant director of communication, by telephone at 221-7868 or by email.