Communications guidelines + resources

For CU ǸԹ College of Music faculty and staff, the following guidelines and resources are intended to ensure university brand compliance and consistency across all college communications—while simultaneously ensuring your greater agency and confidence in the college’s communications strategies and tactics which are continually evaluated and amended according to best practices.

Questions? Contact Assistant Dean for Communications Sabine Kortals, sabine.kortals@colorado.edu.

Quick links

Website updates

Is your bio and/or headshot outdated? Does your studio or department page require edits? Has academic or recruitment information changed? Have you encountered an error, or an outdated photo or video that needs to be removed or replaced?

Submit your College of Music website changes via the (which also includes links to templates for adding or replacing PDFs).

  • News submissions + guidelines
  • The College of Music obtainsmediarelease agreements from all studentswhen they enroll, given the likelihood that they could appear in photos and videos from concerts, rehearsals, etc.
  • General media release form for participants in College of Music activities (i.e., ensembles, performances, etc.)
  • Media release form for minors—students,program participants and visitors under age 18.
  • : Responsibility,accountability, waivers + releases. The university recognizes that off-campus activities can enhance the academic and co-curricular learning environment. It’s also recognized that off-campus activities may pose additional responsibilities and increased risk to participants and the university.

While many College of Music faculty and staff choose to be active on social media as individuals, this does not replace the strategic imperative for official College of Music-branded department, studio, ensemble, etc. channels that are actively maintained by TAs or other preferred administrator(s).

For example, studio channels capture studio highlights over time, independent of personnel changes; and are therefore more readily amplified on the college’s main channels than posts from individual faculty members. Anything that you’re proud to share on your individual social channels—relevant to your department, studio, ensemble or program—should also appear on the appropriate college-affiliated channel(s). Examples include student, alumni and faculty accomplishments, recruitment-related calls to action, upcoming events and performances, behind-the-scenes photos and short videos, announcements, etc.

Key takeaways
  • Consult with Communications Manager MarieFaith Lane before creating a new social media account. Together, we’ll determine whether an existing College of Music channel can serve your purpose instead of creating a new one.
  • If a new department, studio, ensemble or program channel is called for, we recommend starting with Instagram, our most engaged platform.
  • Always tag the College of Music for amplification, and flag strong video opportunities for Instagram Reels and Collab posts. The goal is to post content on department, studio, ensemble or program channels that best serves its audience while creating opportunities for the College of Music to amplify it.
  • Keep account access and management information current.
  • DZǷCU ǸԹ social media and digital engagement guidelines and best practices.

All social media accounts representing the CU ǸԹ College of Music must be created and managed in consultation with Communications Manager MarieFaith Lane. Before launching a new social media account, or to review and update an existing channel(s):

1. Start with Communications
  • Email MarieFaith Lane atcom-comms@colorado.edu to schedule a planning meeting to:
    • discuss the audience, goals, and proposed content and frequency of the intended platform(s);
    • determine whether a new account is necessary or whether the proposed content can be shared through an existing College of Music department, studio, ensemble or program other account;
    • and identify who will manage the channel(s).
2. Choose an approved platform

For maximum engagement, Instagram has emerged as the college’s preferred platform. At the college-level, we’re also active on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn—as well as X to a limited degree, specific to amplifying campus news.

3. Set up + document the account

When a new account is approved:

  • Familiarize yourself with and followCU ǸԹ social media guidelines.
  • With MarieFaith Lane’s guidance, create a username/handle consistent with CU ǸԹ conventions (e.g.,@CUǸԹTrumpets).
  • Use an approved avatar provided by MarieFaith Lane that aligns with campus brand standards;do not create your own avatar.
  • Use a simple, consistent and shareable URL.
  • Use a shared department or program email address (); please see the “General email addresses” section, below.
  • Establish and document account credentials (updated annually, and shared with MarieFaith Lane): Platform, handle, login info, access roles and account manager contact info.
  • For official college-affiliated Facebook accounts, add both Sabine Kortals and MarieFaith Lane as primary page administrators with full access (including page deletion) so that we may help troubleshoot any issues that inevitably arise, as well as ensure continuity when personnel changes occur.Note: This will change when the College of Music creates a business portfolio coordinating all College of Music-affiliated Instagram and Facebook accounts in one place with Meta Business Suite—check back soon!
4. Collaborate on Instagram content

Strong visual or video content should be flagged for potential collaboration with the College of Music including:

  • Instagram Reels
  • Instagram Collab posts
  • Performance and event promotions
  • Behind-the-scenes content
  • Student, faculty or other studio features
  • Takeovers or day-in-the-life content
  • Recruitment content

Also prioritize relevant tagging to increase reach:

  • Tag@CUǸԹMusicon Instagram and Facebook when appropriate, for our further amplification
  • Tag relevant departments, studios, ensembles, programs, etc.
  • Use CamelCase hashtags (e.g.,#MusicBuffs).
5. Maintain and review channels

Departments, studios, ensembles and other designated channel managers are responsible for ongoing content and account maintenance; Communications provides oversight, coordination, continuity and support, as needed.

Channel managers should notify MarieFaith Lane when:

  • A new channel is needed.
  • A channel becomes inactive or is discontinued.
  • Account management changes.
  • Access or login information changes.
  • Are you trying to track down specific photos or need new ones? Email Sabine Kortals and/or MarieFaith Lane.
  • Portrait services (headshots): Strategic Relations + Communications provides free headshots—by appointment—for all CU ǸԹ employees.
  • Free photo booth for students, staff + alumni—no appointment needed.
  • When submitting photos for the website, social media and more, always send your photos in the highest (original) resolution possible. You can tell higher-resolution images by their bigger file sizes—preferably, submit image files that are 1MB or higher.
Related:
Freelance photographer referrals are available upon request.

Does your department or studio need a new video to effectively convey our offerings to prospective students and other College of Music audiences? Contact Sabine Kortals, sabine.kortals@colorado.edu.

Freelance videographerreferrals are available upon request.

Whether writing a departmentalemail, submitting a web update, posting to Instagramor writingfor a publication,textshould be presented in Associated Press (AP) Style, with a few exceptions. Please familiarize yourself with CU ǸԹ editorial style—from how we use abbreviations to how we state academic degrees, names + titles, addresses, building names, capitalizations, composition titles, dates + times, inclusive language ... and more.

At the College of Music, we adhere toAP Style as well as possible on our website and social media as well as our newsletters,magazine and more. While we certainlydon’t expect you to be an AP Style expert, be aware that we may edit the content you provide according to AP Style, if needed.

Quick tips:
  • No Oxford comma.
  • Periods: Never use double spaces after periods; single spaces always.
  • We use“smart” (curly) quotes and apostrophes, not "straight" quotes; .
  • Titles: Never use Dr. and know when to use lowercase and uppercase. Examples: Professor of Trumpet Ryan Gardner (CAPS when the title is in front of the name);Ryan Gardner, professor of trumpet (lowercase when the title is after the name).
  • On first reference: ǸԹ College of Music.
  • On subsequent references on the same page: CU ǸԹ College of Music, College of Music, college (lowercase).
  • CU ǸԹ (not CU-ǸԹ, CUB, UCBor CU).
  • Ensemble names:On first reference, CU ǸԹ Wind Symphony;on subsequent references on the same page, Wind Symphony.
Accessibility language:

Avoid words/phrases like “View more” or “See this page”; replace with simply MORE (all CAPS and bold). For links to video content, consider phrases like “Check out the video” or “Explore …,” “Experience …” and the like.

We regularly coordinateand collaboratewith Strategic Relations + Communications (SRC) and other campus units to ensure alignment of College of Music communications with overall campus priorities, and to amplify the college’s universal musician approach to achieving our mission across campus and to the broader community—including media pitching.

SRC provides our campus community with:

  • development and distribution of press materials for news, announcements and upcoming events with a compelling news hook;
  • pitching of faculty experts to media, often related to trending topics;
  • interview preparation, such as scheduling and facilitating interviews with media;
  • media training sessions;
  • booking for live or taped interviews;
  • crisis communications management;
  • media monitoring ... and more.

Questions? Ready to share a potential media pitch? Contact Sabine Kortals, sabine.kortals@colorado.edu.

Related:

Faculty + graduate students: Another way to get the word out to peers and the general population about your research and academic expertiseis by writing for The Conversation—an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public.

As often as feasible, weave into your communications the following College of Music messages (or a version thereof in your own words)—especially when communicating with prospective students:

At the ǸԹ College of Music, our mission is to inspire artistry and discovery, together. Our students earn more than a music degree in the foothills of the Rockies: We develop multiskilled, multifaceted universal musicians who are well-equipped to participate in the 21st century as artists, educators and scholars; as broadly based professionals with flexible career options; and as passionate, compassionate world citizens.

Our faculty are deeply dedicated pedagogues, award-winning performers, scholars and composers who are standing by to support our students’ success and flourishing—whether their passion is to teach, perform, compose, research or rethink music entirely.

Shorter, more personal examples include:

“I'm excited to contribute to the College of Music’s innovative approach to developing multiskilled, multifaceteduniversal musicianswho are well-equipped forbroadly based,sustainablecareers.”

“I support the college’s emphasis on supporting our students in developingflexible skills for a range of career options—as performers, composers, educators, entrepreneurs, scholars, songwriters, producersand more, often across disciplines.”

Explore more info and key messages on the College of Music’s ǸԹ page.

Consistent email signatures deliver a visually coherent look across university departments and offices. Follow these campus guidelines for your email signature.

Name pronunciation:
Do people sometimes stumble with the pronunciation of your name? You need a !
Record your pronunciation and include it in your emails and Canvas.

Need a general departmental, program or ensemble email address? (e.g.,CUǸԹChoirs@colorado.edu, CUǸԹBands@colorado.edu).

Questions? ContactMarieFaith Lane,com-comms@colorado.edu.

CU ǸԹ offers these comprehensive guidelines and best practices for all yourbranding needs—from logos and logo lockups to approved fonts, colors, layouts and more—including examples and downloads.

Questions? Contact Visual Identity Manager Whitney Fullmer, Whitney.Fullmer@Colorado.edu.

  • Event scheduling + promotion:promotes public College of Music events and encourages attendance. Scheduling, publicizing and creating programs for College of Music events is a coordinated effort between the College of Music Scheduling Office and CU Presents.
  • Preview, download or printperformances, student recitals + past programs.
  • (e.g., master classes, performance classes, lectures, etc.).

CU ǸԹ non-discrimination statements: We arelegally required to include one of thesestatements in all publications intended for external audiences.