August 1, 2007

As a child I found Dr. Doolittle's push-me-pull-you rather a tragic figure, probably because as a child I longed to follow my own will and not be hindered by the demands of others (least of all my kid sister,  the other half of my own metaphorical llama).  I suppose the intended moral of the character was the value of give-and-take, that sometimes you get to pull and other times you get pushed.

As an administrator and professor of organizational communication, I know that when it comes to sharing information both push and pull are extremely important.  In media/marketing terms, push is when sources of information send material toward their audiences; pull refers to the audience taking the initiative to seek out and retrieve information.  Rather than pushing and pulling in opposite directions, in an organizational setting it is essential that sources and audiences work cooperatively to insure that information -- and, more importantly, meanings -- are accessible, open, and timely for all

This blog is a good example of push and pull.  I could simply post it on the COAL Community web site and leave it to all of you to find it -- almost totally "pull."  I could send an email telling you the blog has been posted with an email link for you to follow -- that's pushing a little more, but you still have to take the step of following the link.  Or, as I have done, I can send you the whole blog in an email so that you almost have to make a conscious choice not to read it -- that's a lot of "push." 

We all know from experience that having a lot of "information" doesn't necessarily lead to greater clarity or understanding.  In the technical terms of information theory, information is data that allows for the reduction of uncertainty, and a flood of emails, flyers, memos and meetings can as easily increase one's uncertainty as decrease it.  Yet it is just as frustrating to have your questions go unanswered, or to not have the slightest idea to whom you should address them.

One of my priorities is to maintain a highly functional and satisfying communication system within the college.  Availability of timely and accurate information obviously is part of that, although even more important are elements such as trust, participation, and the realization that with every act of communication we are creating the very structures and relationships that affect our ability to do something as seemingly simple as sharing information.

With respect to pushing and pulling, here are some things to be looking for as we begin the new academic year; some are the continuation of good things we have been doing all along and others are new practices I hope you will find helpful.

Pushes

• I will continue to email my monthly blog.  You'll always be able to find it on the COAL Community site, as well.
• You will have opportunity to "push" information through a news item submission form Angela Barker is developing.  After filling in a few simple fields, your news will be "pulled" into a real simple syndication (RSS) feed that will automatically send the news item to the college web page, University Communications, and other information sources.
• Departments heads continue to be the lynch pin for communication in the college.  As I push information down to them, they are responsible for making information available to you.
• Dwaine Crigger, Provost Fellow for the Arts, has plans for improved promotion of COAL performances, exhibits, and events, including more direct and coordinated publicity efforts.
• I am strongly urging department heads and anyone else responsible for events within the college to post their events to the university's master calendar.  This is a "push" on your part that allows for much greater awareness and availability of information.

Pulls

• Angela Barker and I are working to make the college web page more accessible and informative, but it is up to you to visit the page and use what you find there.
• I will be seeking your input through a variety of means: committees, college-wide meetings, feedback through your department heads, the occasional survey, to name a few.
• The web is a great way for the university, colleges, and departments to make documents widely available.  Policies and procedures documents, forms,  and committee reports are a few examples.  Please take the initiative to discover what information already is on the web, and we in the college office will do our best to direct you to timely information and to keep our own information up-to-date.

As you prepare to return to campus the week of August 13th, please be sure to have the following events on you calendar:

• Showcase on Teaching & Learning, Wednesday, August 15, 8:00 a.m. -- 12:00 noon, Strong Hall
• All-faculty luncheon, Thursday, August 16, 11:30 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m., PSU Ballroom.
• COAL all-college meeting, Thursday, August 16, 2:00 -- 4:00 p.m., Hill 001.
• Fall classes begin, Monday, August 20
• COAL new student welcome, Friday, September 21, late afternoon, Craig Hall patio
• COAL picnic, Friday, September 28, 6:00 -- 8:00 p.m., Phelps Grove Park.

I look forward to seeing you soon.