NEWSFLASH GUIDELINES
Types of Mailbox Communications
Newsflash Inbox – This is a mail message that is sent to all staff on the EADL list and appears in their personal mail inboxes.
Newsflash Folder – This is a mail message that is placed in the Newsflash folder of all staff.
Events – This is used for institutional events, to invite, inform CPUT community. This is address is only used for MCD events and requests will not be permitted.
Messages will be routed to the above mailboxes using criteria listed in this document.
Submissions Guidelines
• Submissions must be plain text in the main body of the email. Arial size 12 fonts must be used.
• Please use UK spelling, not American (e.g. apologise not apologize).
• Please ensure that you submit on a plain background. i.e. No floral wallpaper or any type of graphic in the background.
• Attachments such as event programmes, brochures etc. must be in pdf format. Image attachments must be jpeg, png or gif.
• MCD is not responsible for checking if messages are correct, this is the responsibility of the requestor.
• Any survey must have received ethical clearance prior to sending out. This must be obtained by the survey owner and not MCD. Confirmation of this clearance must be provided.
Authorised Contributors
The integrity of Newsflash as an official communications channel is critical and as such the following system will be implemented.
• Executive members need to identify ‘spokespersons’ from within their various divisions. These are the individuals that are authorised to send messages to newsflash on behalf of the department. This applies to both student and staff messages.
• MCD will keep a register of authorised ‘spokespersons’.
• Message requests sent by these ‘spokespersons’ will be deemed by the Marketing and Communications Department(MCD) to be correct and have gone through necessary approvals. i.e. A message announcing a policy change, must have gone through all the policy approval procedures. MCD is not responsible for verification of these messages.
• Any MANCOM member is able to send message requests.
• Messages must be sent to the address newsflash@cput.ac.za . Do not contact the Communications officers or MCD staff members directly.
• No student association emails will be sent from newsflash.
• All Newsflash inbox messages must be approved by the MCD Director, regardless of nature.
• All Newsflash inbox submissions, must be approved by the line Executive member.
• Wherever possible, messages should not be sent out outside of normal office hours with the exception of Executive communiques.
• Care must be taken not to bombard inboxes with unnecessary emails. The channel must be kept as clear as possible.
• Folder messages must still be actioned, however due to the inability of staff to check folders while off campus, a weekly Recent Additions mail will be sent out on a Wednesday. This mail must include pdf attachments of all folder messages and a synopsis in the body of the email.
CPUT Newsflash Standard Operating Procedure for Communication Officers Editing
Communications officers must edit all submissions, ensuring grammar usage and spelling is correct. Particular attention must be paid to dates and days and titles of individuals.
Communications officers must all reformat all messages to ensure brand consistency and adherence to brand specifications are maintained.
Banner Usage
• The Newsflash Banner will be used for all general Newsflashes or staff folder messages.
• The VC banner will be used for any direct communiques from the ViceChancellor’s Office.
• The Infrastructure Update banner will be used for all IDFM announcements.
• The Press Release banner will not be used for internal communiques.
Message Categorisation
Messages from the following requestors will be sent to Staff Inboxes:
• Vice-Chancellors Office
• Executive Management
• Human Capital
• Finance
• IDFM
• Legal Department (interdicts etc.)
• Unions (Time off requests)
• Security
• Monthly Training Schedules
• Crisis communiques
The following messages will be placed in the Staff Folder:
• Any other training messages
• Departmental Out of Office messages
• Workshops
• Information re research grants and other research opportunities from the DHET, NRF etc.
• Condolence messages. No condolence messages will be sent for the deceased family and friends of staff members.
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Student inboxes
Upon request, messages from the Vice Chancellor’s office, Legal Department, IDFM and security will be sent directly to student inboxes.
Messages from the following senders should also be sent to Student inboxes:
• Financial Aid and other NSFAS messages
• Student Housing
• Dean of Students
• Crisis communiques
• No messages from student structures will be sent out on Newsflash.
Recent additions reminders
The recent additions to your Newsflash folder email serves as a reminder to staff to check the folder and will be sent out on a Wednesday. If by Friday afternoon the folder has been inundated with messages, another mail will be sent out.
Not all folder messages will be included in the reminder mail. A preview list of approximately 5 mail messages will be included.
Condolence messages must feature in the preview list and must be formatted as follows: Message of condolence for the late (colleague’s name).
Resending Newsflashes or Staff Folder messages
Should a sender request that a folder message be sent out again, a reminder may be sent out closer to the date. Should the sender request that the message be placed for a third time, discuss the urgency/necessity with the MCD line Manager before making a decision.
