六九色堂

To provide full-service, in-house marketing of our student-centered undergraduate and graduate education, Detroit Mercy initiated an integration process as part of its operations in 2023. This effort represents a new structure and operational model for the institution based on collaboration and partnership between academic units and departments. The purpose is to enhance services and functions by identifying areas where enterprise management and collaboration benefit both our desire to pursue the greater good and our need to be effective stewards of our resources. To ensure success, this process involves members from across the University to help develop implementation recommendations.

During the spring of 2023, the Marketing & Communications Department (MarCom) convened an internal work group comprised of deans and administrators and led by the AVP of MarCom to examine the integration of marketing and communications work across the academic units and departments on the McNichols Campus. This effort has led to the creation of the Marketing & Communications Enterprise Group (MEG).

Specifically, the goals of the MEG are to increase information sharing; raise the quality of marketing and communications products and services; enhance collaboration and partnership; ensure consistency of messaging and brand across the University; establish more efficiency in marketing and communications expenditures; and aid in more efficient measurement of return-on-investment (ROI) practices.

The following guiding principles serve as the foundation for phase I of the marketing and communications integration initiative.

1. Enhanced Collaboration: Integration of the MEG will enhance communication, information sharing, collaboration and partnership among programs, the Athletics Department, and academic units, as well as provide more equitable and value-added investment approaches to paid marketing while ensuring alignment with the University’s strategic plan.
   
   
2. Shared Objectives: Academic units/departments and MarCom will work collaboratively to establish strategic objectives that align with and support the University’s strategic direction and vision. From this, web/communications staff within each academic unit/academic unit/department, MarCom and designated leadership of these units will have membership in the MEG. The MarCom tactical leads, deans and directors of these areas will work together to establish integrated tactical plans to meet both the academic unit/department and University’s overall strategic objectives while ensuring alignment with marketing and communications processes, style, branding and messaging.
   
   
3. Ensure Web/communications Staff for Each Academic Unit and Athletics on McNichols Campus: Through this recommendation plan, MarCom proposes to hire three new web/communications staff and assign these web/communications staff members to academic units/departments that currently do not employ a full-time web/communications staff member. Additionally, the new staff, as well as current web/communications staff reporting to CHASS and Engineering & Science, will receive training with MarCom resources, tools and systems to orient them to the new integration model following adoption.
   
   
4. Prioritization of Workflow: Web/communications staff hired by MarCom and those already in place in CHASS and E & S will, as a priority, undertake day-to-day tactical work associated with their assigned unit in accordance with the unit’s strategic objectives as defined in partnership with MarCom. If an emergency arises that requires the assistance of all web/communications staff from academic units and MarCom (e.g., staff illness, family emergency, crisis situation, etc.), the AVP of MarCom and/or director of Communications will work in partnership with each academic unit/department to coordinate coverage of duties and activities. This may include the use of freelance communications consultants as needed.

More information, including roll-out plans, will be available about the MEG in the coming months.