Submissions Penn State News Requests

For members of the college community

The mission of the Office of Strategic Communications is to promote the college as part of a top-tier university, strengthening its reputation in spheres of influence in ways that support college recruitment and retention, resource and leadership goals, and the Penn State Berks Strategic Plan.

Our news release publication policy reflects our mission. We ask that faculty and staff enter submissions through our News Release Submission Form. We do not accept student submissions; student news must be submitted by a faculty or staff member.

The purpose of the News Release Submission Form is to keep our office informed of what is happening at Penn State Berks so we are better able to write stories that help us to achieve our mission. We will reach out if there are questions. While we may not use every submission for an individual release, we may include the information in a broader release that elevates the campus and/or helps to advance our goals noted above.

Editorial oversight

All material submitted for publication on University news platforms is subject to review and editing. Final decisions for publication and appropriate platforms for an item rest with the Office of Strategic Communications. The information provided below is a guide, with intentional consideration focused around our mission. All items listed are reviewed as they advance the main goals.

Story guidelines

What we publish

As part of our mission to promote and raise awareness of Penn State Berks, our target audience for news releases includes prospective students and their families, the general public, and the news media. We do not promote news items for internal audiences. We are always interested in stories about students that help illustrate the benefits of attending Penn State Berks.

Strategic Communications covers college-sponsored events that take place on Penn State Berks campus and may be of interest to our target audience, such as Admissions events and many others that are happening in the future. Certain events that are not held on Penn State Berks campus also may be covered, including but not limited to:

  • Off-campus events that are part of a larger college-sponsored conference or event
  • Major town-and-gown initiatives with a strong Penn State component
  • Other outreach activities taking place in the community may be covered at the discretion of the editorial team.

We do not publish news releases on the following:

  • Information of a commercial nature
  • Solicitations
  • Information about events whose registration deadlines have passed, or that are not open to the general public
  • Faculty serving on panels
  • Lectures given by faculty or staff at another institution that are not part of a national or international conference.
  • Book or poetry readings and book signings by faculty, staff, students or administrators will not be covered.
  • Stories profiling services offered by units, departments or offices at the University that do not contain news of new initiatives.

News of Record

The following is a list of guidelines governing the selection of items for the College's News of Record, which includes announcements about:

  • Awards and Achievements
  • Lectures
  • Partings and Passings
Awards and achievements

Penn State News may publish stories for members of the faculty and staff who:

  • make significant contributions in areas such as the arts or music;
  • receive such awards as Guggenheim or NATO fellowships;
  • receive a national or international award from professional associations and organizations, or are elected as officers or fellows;
  • are appointed to a national or international committee;
  • are appointed editor-in-chief of a recognized academic journal;
  • are invited keynote speakers or serve on a panel at an international or national meeting;
  • are selected as visiting scholars;
  • are named distinguished alumnus/alumna or awarded an honorary doctorate by an educational institution;
  • present Congressional testimony; or
  • receive Fulbright awards

University-wide faculty and staff awards: Announcement of University-wide faculty and staff awards is made through Penn State News and Media Relations in conjunction with the Office of the President. Stories about the recipients of these awards may not be released by any campus, college or unit before the official announcements are published by Penn State News.

Lectures

Information about upcoming lectures will be published on Penn State News. All featured lectures must be open to the public. Lectures should be announced in advance.

Partings and Passings

Penn State News may publish obituary information for active members of the faculty and staff or administration.

Development

At the editors' discretion, Penn State News will publish stories about officially endorsed fundraising efforts that directly benefit a University scholarship or endowment. All such stories must be vetted by Development and Alumni Relations communications.

Events

Event announcements that are submitted for publication on Penn State News and related platforms should meet the following criteria:

  • Each entry will include the title of the event, the time, date and location, the intended audience, and a link for more information.
  • Items should be timely in nature, and should be scheduled to occur no later than two weeks from the current date, and no sooner than 24 hours from the current date.
  • All featured events must be open to the public. News of closed events will not be published.
  • Information about an event should be submitted only once. Repeat announcements about the same event will not be published, unless a significant revision is needed.
  • If a previously announced event has been canceled, a cancellation notice may be published.