STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES – 2010-11

OVERVIEW:

The Division of Marketing & Communications is committed to assisting Texas A&M University in achieving a “culture of excellence” as outlined in Vision 2020 and its aspirations of being

recognized as one of the top public universities in the country. Reputation accounts for 25 percent of the U.S. News & World Report rankings formula, and while many factors contribute to a university’s reputation, the Division will play a key role in increasing the awareness of Texas A&M’s teaching, research and engagement activities among its peer institutions and other key stakeholder groups.

To accomplish this overarching goal, the Division of Marketing and Communications is divided into three core competency areas, which operate in an integrated creative environment:

Marketing Services: Coordinates development of institutional marketing strategies and functions, including creative services and managing the University website.

Communications Services: Serves as the central point for all University-wide news, information and related initiatives, with emphasis on proactive strategy.

Business Development: Oversees licensing, trademark management and corporate

business development relationships to maximize the commercial benefit to the University. For 2010-11 and the near-term future, the Division supports, enhances and promotes five major objectives, each consistent with the imperatives of Vision 2020 and the goals of the Academic Master Plan. Each of these strategic objectives is supported by a dynamic agenda of action items.

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2010-11 Strategic Objectives Page 2

Position Texas A&M as one of the top research universities in the United States. Supporting Vision 2020 Imperatives 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12

OBJECTIVE 2:

Promote Texas A&M’s six core values and the University’s unique role in serving the state and country, as well as in developing leaders of character.

Supporting Vision 2020 Imperatives 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12

OBJECTIVE 3:

Ensure Texas A&M’s leadership in social media and new communications mediums to reach key stakeholder groups.

Supporting Vision 2020 Imperatives 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12

OBJECTIVE 4:

Create an environment of collaboration and cooperation with System Communications and the members of The Texas A&M University System.

Supporting Vision 2020 Imperatives 8, 9, 11, 12

OBJECTIVE 5:

Increase Texas A&M’s brand awareness and associated revenue streams through new partnership and business development opportunities.

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Position Texas A&M as one of the top research universities in the United States.

Action Items:

Develop and implement a multi-year, university-wide marketing campaign that promotes research, scholarship and creative work while also encompassing Texas A&M’s unique attributes.

Target the leadership of peer institutions, prospective faculty hires and key prospective student groups (high-fliers, diversity, etc.) with Texas A&M messages on a regular basis. Strengthen outreach to tier one national media outlets through more aggressive activity and

a prioritization of subject areas, focusing on the accomplishments and research of faculty. Promote a consistent brand identity to external audiences that encompasses all 10 colleges

and major University divisions.

Create linkages among faculty, administrative units and the communications community to continually analyze and enhance marketing and communications activities.

Supporting Vision 2020:

Imperative 1 – Elevate Our Faculty and Their Teaching, Research and Scholarship Imperative 2 – Strengthen Our Graduate Programs

Imperative 3 – Enhance the Undergraduate Experience Imperative 4 – Build the Letters, Arts and Sciences Core Imperative 6 – Diversify and Globalize the A&M Community Imperative 8 – Enrich Our Campus

Imperative 9 – Build Community and Metropolitan Connections Imperative 12 – Meet Our Commitment to Texas

Key Metrics:

Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Monthly and other key publications.

Number of student applications, diversity percentages and National Merit Scholars. Number of mentions in national tier one media outlets.

Indoctrination of brand standards by colleges and other units.

Participation of faculty and other administrative units in marketing and communications initiatives.

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Promote Texas A&M’s six core values – leadership, excellence, integrity, honesty, respect and selfless service – and the University’s unique role in serving the state and country, as well as in developing leaders of character.

Action Items:

Ensure that at least one of the core values is incorporated into the strategic messaging of all marketing and communications activities.

Promote the core values visually across the campus community and on physical infrastructure, as appropriate.

Leverage collaborations with the Association of Former Students to spotlight the accomplishments of former students who personify the core values.

Engage former students in the business community to promote and incorporate the core values in the marketplace.

Reinforce the core values through all internal communications with students, faculty and staff.

Imperative 3 – Enhance the Undergraduate Experience Imperative 6 – Diversify and Globalize the A&M Community Imperative 8 – Enrich Our Campus

Imperative 9 – Build Community and Metropolitan Connections Imperative 12 – Meet Our Commitment to Texas

Key Metrics:

Content analysis of marketing and communications initiatives. Completion of a new campus-wide banner program.

Implementation of the Leaders of Character campaign. Launch of the “Aggie Owned and Operated” initiative.

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Ensure Texas A&M’s leadership in social media and new communications mediums to reach key stakeholder groups.

Action Items:

Foster an environment that embraces social media and creative techniques to engage audiences.

Incorporate social media elements in all marketing and communications activities, to include the university website, advertising and media outreach.

Encourage Division staff to assume leadership roles in the higher education community for social media.

Provide institutional leadership in social media for all 10 colleges and other university divisions.

Create opportunities for the President and other University administrators to experiment with and engage key audiences through social media.

Imperative 3 – Enhance the Undergraduate Experience Imperative 6 – Diversify and Globalize the A&M Community Imperative 8 – Enrich Our Campus

Imperative 9 – Build Community and Metropolitan Connections Imperative 10 – Demand Enlightened Governance and Leadership Imperative 12 – Meet Our Commitment to Texas

Key Metrics:

Number of Facebook fans and Facebook interactivity.

Recognition by CampusTweet, BlueFuego and other social media thought leaders. Content analysis of marketing and communications initiatives.

Invitations for Division to make social media presentations by outside entities. Participation in social media by the colleges, units and administrators.

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Create an environment of collaboration and cooperation with System Communications and the members of The Texas A&M University System.

Action Items:

Incorporate the expertise and resources of System Communications into the Division as part of the Shared Services Initiative.

Maximize advertising opportunities and resulting cost savings through the engagement of A&M System members.

Leverage campaign concepts, creative elements and business development opportunities created by the Division to other members of the A&M System, as appropriate.

Identify new creative elements or purchasing opportunities that will generate additional cost savings for the University and other A&M System members.

Ensure the consistency of messaging for the University and A&M System in crisis situations and other areas of strategic importance.

Imperative 8 – Enrich Our Campus

Imperative 9 – Build Community and Metropolitan Connections Imperative 11 – Attain Resource Parity with the Best Public Universities Imperative 12 – Meet Our Commitment to Texas

Key Metrics:

Amount of cost savings generated through Shared Services.

Amount of cost savings generated through bulk advertising opportunities. Number of Division initiatives leveraged to other A&M System members.

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Increase Texas A&M’s brand awareness and associated revenue streams through new partnership and business development opportunities.

Action Items:

Grow the University’s licensing program into one of the recognized leaders across the country.

Seek corporate partners who share in a similar culture or value structure as the University. Facilitate University-wide partnership opportunities that incorporate academics, athletics,

auxiliaries, marketing, philanthropy and other groups.

Partner with key universities in certain licensing and business development programs to strengthen the Texas A&M brand.

Identify and implement new sponsorship opportunities that introduce the Texas A&M brand to external audiences in non-traditional ways.

Imperative 3 – Enhance the Undergraduate Experience Imperative 6 – Diversify and Globalize the A&M Community

Imperative 11 – Attain Resource Parity with the Best Public Universities

Key Metrics:

Amount of annual licensing revenues.

Number of sponsors/partnerships developed and/or facilitated. Inclusion of varied campus entities in sponsorships and partnerships. Participation in national licensing or marketing programs.