News Media Policy

As the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) puts forth greater efforts to establish itself as a well-respected institution of medical education, it will actively promote to, engage with, and respond to the news media. This policy is established to help facilitate Noorda-COM’s response to news media requests.

Media attention has the potential to enhance, as well as detract from, the overall mission and reputation of the college. It is important, therefore, to manage Noorda-COM’s engagement with the media in a positive, constructive, and professional manner.

This policy exists to ensure that information disclosed by Noorda-COM to the news media is timely, accurate, comprehensive, authoritative, and relevant to all aspects of the college. Adherence to this policy is intended to provide an effective and efficient framework to facilitate the timely dissemination of information to various news media outlets.

This policy further exists to ensure coordination on news stories so Noorda-COM receives the greatest benefit of exposure, i.e. to prevent competing news story submissions by Noorda-COM representatives, to maximize media opportunities for more in-depth features rather than smaller/lesser stories, or to prevent conflicting positions on issues and topics which may put a college representative in a compromised position from that of Noorda-COM’s official position.

Noorda-COM encourages freedom of expression, open discussion, and research. The news media may be interested in Noorda-COM and the college operates on the principle that it should be open and responsive to media inquiries and requests for information. However, to abide by FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act, 1974) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, 1996) and to respect the privacy of students, faculty, staff, and others, and to account for the occasional mitigating circumstances, requires that guidelines be established regarding access.

Noorda-COM affirms the right of faculty, staff, and students to interact freely with the media as private individuals. Notwithstanding the rights of individuals to freedom of speech, faculty, staff and students of the college have an obligation to act in the best interests of Noorda-COM at all times. This policy provides guidelines for interactions with the media in order to promote the best interests of Noorda-COM.

Noorda-COM facilities require badge access, therefore, we require that members of the media secure the approval and assistance of the Noorda-COM Office of Institutional Advancement before coming onto campus to photograph, record, or interview faculty, staff, students, and guests or for campus tours, special events, lectures and meetings. This policy helps Noorda-COM conduct its educational mission in an orderly and effective manner while protecting the rights, privacy and needs of its students, faculty, staff, and guests.

All media inquiries must go through the Office of Institutional Advancement. If faculty, staff, or students are contacted directly by a member of the media, they must contact the Office of Institutional Advancement prior to responding to the media inquiry or refer the member of the media to the Office of Institutional Advancement. The Office of Institutional Advancement will assess the inquiry and arrange the interview if appropriate.

Members of the media should contact the Office of Institutional Advancement, directly, with any request to interview members of the Noorda-COM community or for official comment on a pressing issue. This will expedite response to such requests.

Furthermore, employees, faculty, students, staff, or departments that seek to generate external media coverage about a program, event, achievement, or issue directly relating to Noorda-COM, its mission, or issues that arise locally, regionally or nationally that relate to the academic focus of the college, or for which Noorda-COM could provide expertise, must first contact the Office of Institutional Advancement.

The overall responsibility for Noorda-COM’s media relations rests with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and the department’s designees, the Director of Marketing and Communications, and/or the University’s contracted public relations consultant. The Office of Institutional Advancement or a designee is appointed as Noorda-COM’s principal media contact and spokesperson. The department has expertise in media relations and weighs each media inquiry to determine the best way to provide information based on all facts, whether known to the public or not. The Office of Institutional Advancement will work with the senior leadership to convey official Noorda-COM positions on issues of significance or situations that may be particularly controversial or sensitive in nature. The Office of Institutional Advancement is the only department authorized to distribute Noorda-COM news releases, pitch coverage of particular events and issues, respond to media inquiries, or hold news conferences.

The Office of Institutional Advancement’s responsibilities as it relates to the News Media include:

• Increase public awareness and understanding of the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, its mission, services to the community, and educational and community service programs
• Promote a positive public image of Noorda-COM and the work we do to the constituents who are important to the college which includes current and prospective students, employees, donors, community partners, government officials, stakeholders, and industry peers.

Guidelines for Requests from the Media
Refer all media calls to the Office of Institutional Advancement. Please notify the reporter that “Noorda-COM policy is to refer all media inquiries to the Office of Institutional Advancement. They can be reached at (385) 378-5151. A representative from the Office of Institutional Advancement will respond to media inquiries within 24 hours.

Guidelines for Requests for Photography or Film
A similar process as described above is to be used when someone from the media requests permission to take photographs or to film inside our facilities. Refer all photography and film inquiries to the Office of Institutional Advancement. They can be reached at (385) 378-5151. A representative from the Office of Institutional Advancement will respond to media inquiries within 24 hours.

Representing Professional Organizations with the Media
Faculty, staff, and students who actively volunteer for board service as representatives for other local, regional, or national professional organizations that directly relate to their positions at Noorda-COM may be called upon by those professional organizations to speak with the media. The Office of Institutional Advancement must be notified, preferably in advance, of speaking with the media on behalf of these organizations to address any potential conflicts with Noorda-COM policies or positions and if the interviews are to take place on the campus, the Office of Institutional Advancement must help facilitate. Examples of these professional organizations include but are not limited to: The Utah Osteopathic Medical Association, Utah Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, Student Osteopathic Medical Association, etc.

This policy was reviewed and revised in March 2024. For assistance with policies and procedures, please contact Alexa Levine (adlevine@noordacom.org).