Communication Channels
Share your information with the UND community.
Marketing & Communications (M&C) manages several campus-wide communication channels to help promote events, services and important University information.
These channels are designed for communications that are relevant to broad audiences across the UND community. Not all content is eligible for these channels, so please review the information below before submitting.
If your content is intended for a specific audience, we recommend promoting it through your unit's own communication channels (department emails, newsletters, social media).
What You Can Submit
Content submitted to M&C-managed channels should:
- Be hosted or sponsored by a UND department or unit.
- Be submitted by a UND employee on behalf of that department or unit.
- Recognized student organizations may submit their events directly to the UND Events Calendar and digital signs. All other channel requests must be submitted through a designated UND employee.
- Be open to a broad audience and relevant to a large portion of the UND community (e.g. all students, all faculty, all staff).
- Be accurate and complete.
Submitters are responsible for providing clear, up-to-date information and notifying M&C if details change.
Eligible Content
Examples of eligible content include:
- University-sponsored events open to broad audiences.
- Institutional announcements.
- University-wide deadlines or policy updates.
- Services or opportunities available to large segments of the University community.
- Communications that support institutional priorities.
What's Not Eligible
The following types of content are generally not appropriate for campus-wide channels:
- Content intended for a specific department, program, course or small group.
- Routine internal updates that do not affect a broad audience.
- Commercial advertising or promotions unrelated to UND.
- Personal business or external promotions without UND involvement.
- Content better suited for unit-level communication.
Each M&C channel has additional guidelines, and some content types may be allowed in certain channels but not others.
In general, M&C-managed channels are reserved for UND-sponsored content. Requests to promote non-UND events are considered only in limited cases.
To be considered, events must:
- Be large-scale, widely recognized community events.
- Have clear relevance or impact for the UND community.
- Align with University policies and standards.
All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To request consideration, submit a Project Request Form.
Choose the Right Channel
Each communication channel serves a different purpose, audience and format. Selecting the right channel helps ensure your message reaches the right audience in the most effective way.
Start with the UND Events Calendar
All events and institutional deadlines must be submitted to the UND Events Calendar before they can be promoted through any other M&C-managed channels.
- Submitters are responsible for updating their calendar listing if details change or if an event is canceled.
- Being listed on the UND Events Calendar does not guarantee promotion through other M&C-managed channels.
Current Student Communication Channels
Promote your event or service with digital signs that are displayed in high traffic areas around campus.
The My UND App is managed by University Information Technology (UIT) and provides content to current students and other app users.
The app includes a messaging platform called Communicate, which is used to share updates with current students. It includes both department-managed opt-in channels and M&C-managed broadcast messaging.
M&C manages general broadcast messages within the Communicate platform. This channel is not intended for communications specific to prospective students, faculty, staff or alumni.
General Broadcast Messages
M&C-administered broadcast messages are used to share updates that are broadly relevant to current students.
These messages are sent through the app's Communicate platform and may appear in the student persona (all student users) or the "Free" opt-in messaging channel.
What's Not Eligible
- Messages intended for audiences outside of current students or app users.
- Content for limited or highly specific audiences.
- Department-specific communications better suited for opt-in channels.
How to Submit
Requests for general student broadcast messaging should be submitted through the My UND App support ticket.
Opt-In Channels
App users may also subscribe to receive messages that pertain to specific departments or select topics.
Some opt-in channels (such as the “Free” channel) are managed by M&C.
Departments also may manage their own opt-in messaging channels within the app. These channels are not managed by M&C.
Student Life Weekly (SLW) is an emailed newsletter sent to all current students during the fall and spring semesters. It serves as a centralized communication tool to share events, deadlines and opportunities relevant to a broad student audience.
Student Life Texting is used to share timely updates and important information with current UND students, including events, deadlines, services and reminders.
Because text messaging is immediate and limited in length, this channel is reserved for messages that are timely, important and broadly relevant to students.
Emergency notifications (e.g., weather closures) are managed separately and not part of Student Life Texting.
Eligible Content
- Time-sensitive events, deadlines and reminders.
- Student services or opportunities relevant to a broad audience.
- Messages requiring immediate awareness or action.
Content must be sponsored by a UND department and relevant to a majority of students.
What's Not Eligible
- Messages for limited or specific audiences.
- Non-urgent or routine announcements.
- Off-campus events without official UND involvement.
Key Requirements
- Requests must be submitted by a UND employee.
- Events and deadlines must be listed on the UND Events Calendar before requesting a text.
- Messages must not exceed 160 characters (including links).
- Scheduling is limited; not all requests can be accommodated.
How to Submit
Email marketing@UND.edu with:
- Target audience.
- All current students.
- Select student segments (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, online or on-campus students).
- Title of text.
- Exact wording of the text (within 160 character limit).
- Requested send date.
- M&C schedules texts based on availability.
University Communication Channels
UND produces communication channels to amplify your story.
- UND Today: UND's official news source is managed by the UND Today editorial team.
- U-Letter: UND's faculty and staff newsletter is emailed weekly.
- News Releases: UND news is archived. Distribution lists are managed by Marketing & Communications.
What to Expect After You Submit
After you submit, M&C will review your content to ensure it aligns with the selected channel, audience and University standards.
- Content may be edited for clarity, length or formatting.
- Scheduling is based on availability, timing and audience relevance.
- Not all submissions are published.
All content must follow University policies and standards.
Content will not be approved if it:
- Promotes alcohol-related events or activities, especially in student communications.
- Endorses political candidates, campaigns or partisan activity.
- Includes unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate material.
- Does not comply with UND policies, accessibility requirements, brand standards or cultural awareness guidelines.
M&C may edit, adjust timing, request revisions or decline submissions to maintain the effectiveness of each channel and ensure alignment with University standards.