COMM 468 Corporate and Nonprofit Public Relations
Spring 2002
Tuesday, 4:00-6:45 p.m.
Room CP-128
Course Objective:
This course examines issues related to practicing public relations in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Through the use of lecture, discussion, writing assignments, case study analysis, and guest speaker presentations, we will explore internal and external communication practices that are relevant to both working environments, as well as topics that are unique to each. By the end of the term, you should have an understanding of the similarities and differences between these two sectors of the public relations profession.
Texts:
Required:
The Corporate Communications Bible by Robert L. Dilenschneider (New Millennium Press)
Top Dog by J. David Pincus and J. Nicholas DeBonis (McGraw-Hill, Inc.)
There will also be occasional handouts provided by the instructor.
Course Requirements:
The course meets once a week for two hours and 45 minutes per class session. Class meetings will involve a combination of lecture and discussion, where you will be encouraged to contribute your own comments, ideas, and observations about the topics studied. Readings will be assigned each week, and you are expected to come prepared to talk about the material you have read. There will be three critical analysis writing assignments and one research and writing project for the class. There is no final examination for this course. Graduate students will be expected to complete an additional writing assignment for the class.
Attendance and Participation:
Attendance and class participation are required for this course. Since much of the course will be based on in-class discussion, it is important that you be there and contribute your own input to the class conversation. If everyone is willing to participate in class activities, the course will be much more interesting and informative for all of us.
Your attendance grade is based on a total of 100 points. Because this class meets only once a week, 7 points will be deducted for every class you miss. If you choose to leave during the break, you will only get credit for attending half the class, and 3.5 points will be deducted from the total. Keep this in mind, as too many missed classes could have a significant impact on your final grade. If you are ill or have an emergency, please let me know in advance of class.
Grades:
Your grade for this class will be based on several factors, including three critical analysis writing assignments, a 10-12-page research and writing project, and attendance and class participation. The writing assignments will be based on material from the lectures, readings, handouts, and in-class discussions. Due dates are listed below. Specific details about these assignments will be given out in class at a later date. All assignments are due at the beginning of class, or they will be counted as late. Assignments lose one full grade for each day they are late. Please note that computer problems do not qualify as an acceptable excuse for late assignments.
The breakdown for grades is as follows:
Writing Assignment #1 15% (due 3/6)
Writing Assignment #2 15% (due 4/10)
Writing Assignment #3 15% (due 5/21)
Research/Writing Project 35% (due 5/7)
Attendance and Participation 20%
Your grade will be determined by the quality of your work and your ability to turn the work in on time. Here is an overview of the guidelines I use when grading assignments:
A Assignment is well-written and organized, error-free, indicates thorough research, and thoughtfully incorporates information from readings and in-class discussions.
B May need some rewriting or reorganization, requires minor editing, contains a few spelling or grammar errors.
C Requires substantial rewriting and restructuring, contains a number of errors, shows little research effort, and reflects personal opinion rather than analysis based on course materials.
D Needs to be completely rewritten, has numerous errors, and does not meet the requirements of the assignment.
F Reflects little effort on the part of the writer, is filled with errors, and does not meet the requirements of the assignment.
Honor Code:
I trust that the work you turn in to me will be your own and will reflect your own singular efforts in researching and writing the material contained in each assignment. Please refer to the Universitys policy on Academic Dishonesty for information about plagiarism and cheating, which will be enforced in this class.
Office Hours:
I will hold regular office hours during the week, and I encourage you to stop in and see me to discuss any questions or observations about the course you may have. If my posted hours conflict with your schedule, you are welcome to schedule an appointment at a time that is more convenient. For the record, I really enjoy seeing students during office hours, and I encourage you to take advantage of them.
Email:
You are welcome to email me with any questions or comments you might have, and I will do my best to respond within 24 hours during the school week.
For the purposes of turning in assignments, you may use email only if you cannot be in class because of an emergency. An emailed assignment must reach me by the beginning of the class when it is due, or it will be counted as late.
Classroom Etiquette:
Out of respect for your fellow classmates and for the instructor, please do not talk with your neighbor, read the newspaper, or work on assignments for other courses during class. In addition, all cell phones and pagers should be turned off.
Special Assistance:
If you have any special needs or wish to discuss your progress in the course with me at any point during the semester, feel free to stop by my office during office hours or make an appointment to see me. You can also contact me by phone at (657) 278-5434 or by email at: andistein@fullerton.edu.
Course Outline and Reading Assignments:
The following is a list of topics we will cover during the class in the approximate order we will cover them. Once in awhile I may switch things around, but you will be given ample warning if I do. For reading assignments, CCB = Corporate Communications Bible; TD = Top Dog.
Week 1: (February 5) Introduction to Corporate/Nonprofit PR
Week 2: (February 12) Media relations (CCB, Chapter 1; TD, pp. 3-48)
Week 3: (February 19) Employee communications (CCB, Chapter 3; TD, pp. 49-75)
Week 4: (February 26) Communication and leadership (TD, pp. 79-131)
Week 5: (March 5) Crisis communication s (CCB, Chapter 5; TD, pp. 132-86)
Week 6: (March 12) Social service/associations (CCB, Chapter 7)
Week 7: (March 19) University relations (Handouts; TD, pp. 187-223)
Week 8: (March 26) Healthcare (Handouts; TD, pp. 224-263)
Week 9: (April 2) Spring break no class
Week 10: (April 9) Fundraising and development (Handouts)
Week 11: (April 16) Big business/investor relations (CCB, Chapter 2)
Week 12: (April 23) Communications week
Week 13: (April 30) Small business/entrepreneurship (CCB, Chapter 10)
Week 14: (May 7) Social responsibility/philanthropy (Handouts; TD, pp. 264-297)
Week 15: (May 14) Community/government relations (CCB, Chapter 6)
Week 16: (May 21) Wrap-up/Top Dog discussion (TD, pp. 301-348)