University Communications and Marketing is committed to helping you produce professional, practical, attractive, well-written publications. In assisting you, we also have the responsibility to maintain a consistent design and literary style for the presentation of the Winthrop University brand to all external publics. Quality communications enhance the university’s image and help relate Winthrop’s mission more effectively to students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, potential donors, prospective students, and the general public.
To ensure quality and consistency, University Communications and Marketing has been directed by the President to prepare or examine all materials that incorporate the Winthrop logo and/or target external publics. They are responsible for seeing that such items meet high-quality writing, editing and design standards, and comply with visual identity requirements.
If you are planning a publication that is targeted to, or could reach, an external public, you will work with University Communications and Marketing to ensure that the finished project best represents you, your department and Winthrop. Professional editorial and design assistance is free of charge.
Almost all areas of the university are concerned with publications at one time or another. Whether your department has one project or many, we encourage you to contact the Director of Printing and Creative Services in University Communications and Marketing as soon as you are aware of your publication needs. By scheduling a meeting with them, information can be gathered about your publication: its purpose, intended audience, budget considerations, possible formats, etc. This will ensure that your input is obtained before editing or design time begins on the project. Such a meeting may also be useful for an existing publication if extensive changes are necessary or if the existing format could be improved.
The following checklist will assist you in planning for your meeting with the publications staff:
Who
Who is the audience for the publication? Will you be communicating information to prospective students, the Rock Hill community, employers, etc.?
What
What type of publication do you need? A flyer? Brochure? Newsletter? Booklet? What do you want to communicate? Will you need photographs or special illustrations? What is your budget for the publication?
Where
Where should the publication be delivered? To your office? To another department? To a mailing service?
When
When do you need to have the publication delivered? In determining this date, you will want to allow for additional time if the pieces are to be mailed.
How
How many copies do you need? How will the piece be distributed? Will it be mailed? If so, will you need envelopes or will it be a self-mailer? Does it need a reply card?
If your project will be produced using freelance or student design assistance, you must review the procedures outlined on pages 6.5-6.6.
If the project is an identical reprint of something originally printed on campus, sending a completed print request form to Printing Services is sufficient to initiate this kind of job.
University Communications and Marketing prefers that any copy submitted for a project is complete and final, and that it has achieved any necessary departmental approval prior to submission. On a limited basis, copy-writing assistance on projects may be provided. However, copy-writing services must be discussed well in advance of scheduling the project to allow for adequate time to complete any research associated with those services.
When final copy is complete it should be submitted via e-mail, typed in Microsoft Word format for PC and saved as a Word document, prepared according to the bulleted specifications below. A hard copy print out of the text should accompany the print request.
University Communications and Marketing and Printing Services convert most copy into a format compatible with available desktop publishing systems. To facilitate this conversion, your copy should be prepared as follows:
Please keep in mind that the information you provide does not need to look like the layout of a final printed piece. Copy will be graphically manipulated after it has been converted for desktop publishing.
When you are ready to schedule production of a publication, a Printing Services print request form should be completed. The form is not considered complete unless the following information is included:
If the job requires off-campus printing, a purchase requisition form must also be completed. In the space for a suggested supplier, type “For Bids Only.”
If you are planning to reprint an on-campus printing job with only minor copy changes, a print request form with detailed instructions will suffice.
In a given calendar year, University Communications and Marketing coordinates more than 400 printed pieces for academic units and administrative offices on campus. Because of this volume, we ask that you contact us as soon as you are aware of your publication need. The timetable for producing a publication varies greatly depending upon the complexity of the project. To assist with scheduling projects, the publications staff follows an established publications priority list. In general, the following publications are treated on a priority basis:
University Communications and Marketing must limit its involvement to publications that reach external publics, simply because of staffing considerations. On-campus posters, T-shirt/sweatshirt designs for student organizations, departmental in-house newsletters, and other publications created for on-campus audiences only cannot be created by our design staff. By appointment, our designers will be glad to review on-campus publications and offer suggestions if requested. Any use of the Winthrop logo must be approved by University Communications and Marketing.
University Communications and Marketing prefers a minimum of six weeks notice, even on simple jobs, because of the time needed to phase a project into the production schedule, and to permit adequate time for editing, designing, proofing, printing and (if necessary) shipping. More complex jobs can require much longer lead times — in some cases, four to six months. Production schedules are occasionally subject to change when unexpected contingencies occur. The best precaution is to provide notice at the earliest opportunity.
In rare cases, work volume may make it impossible for University Communications and Marketing to guarantee completion of a job within the necessary time frame. Should this occur, the department will assist in making an outside referral, and retain rights of final approval, based on the image considerations outlined above. If work with a freelance or student designer is required, please refer to Procedures for Using a Freelance or Student Designer on pages 6.5-6.6.
University Communications and Marketing wants to ensure that your project best represents you and your department. Therefore, it’s important that your comments and suggestions for copy and design be presented in a meeting to review the project. During the creative process that follows, your suggestions will be considered and incorporated in accordance to the mandate set forth to create appealing, effective publications for the campus community. For that reason, final creative decisions including editorial, design and printing matters must rest with University Communications and Marketing.
Once the parameters of a project have been established, and the necessary text and paperwork have been received in the proper format, University Communications and Marketing will begin its “hands on” work. What follows is a description of the production flow for a typical job:
Editing
Editing ensures that the submitted copy is appropriate, effective and follows Winthrop AP style guidelines. If this process necessitates major rewriting or editing by the publications staff, a copy proof will be sent for your review prior to layout.
Design
Design is one of the most important and time-consuming stages. It involves formulating an effective visual communication strategy, then developing the concept using layout, photography, illustration, or related graphics. Paper stock and ink specifications are determined at this time.
Proofing
Proofing is the next stage. Most proofs are generated as PDFs and sent by email. At this point, clients are asked to proof all copy. Any copy corrections should be indicated on the proof, either by printing out the pdf and physically writing on it or by placing digital sticky notes with comments in the PDF document itself. Please remember that extensive changes or delay in returning the proof could hinder the final delivery of the print job.
Approval
Approval by a faculty or staff member with budget authorization is required prior to printing. An email sent to the Director of Printing and Creative Services stating the approval of the most recent proof will suffice. It is imperative that a project manager seeks the highest level of approval necessary for the project prior to printing.
Prepress
Prepress is the last stage before a job goes to press. Conversion of the desktop file to printing plates happens at this stage. For off-campus printing, the vendor usually handles all prepress work.
Printer Proofs
Printer proofs are the last furnished proofs before actual printing begins. Off-campus vendors submit a forms proof which is an ink jet print-out showing all prepress work. Along with a color digital proof, the forms proof provides the best idea of what a publication will look like. The purpose of these proofs is to check position of image elements, folding, color breaks, etc. Because editorial changes made at this stage are time-consuming and expensive, all routine proofing for factual accuracy and typographical correctness is completed at an earlier stage. In most cases, a forms proof and color match proof will be reviewed only by the publications staff.
When all prepress work is complete, the printing process will begin. Printing Services staff cut the paper stock, make printing plates if necessary, and ink the press. After the job is run and appropriate drying time has been allowed, the individual printed sheets must be scored, perforated, folded, collated and bound, depending on the complexity of the job.
The publications staff maintains regular contact with Printing Services, as well as off-campus printing vendors. If your printing can be handled on campus, both University Communications and Marketing and Printing Services will work with you to get the job done as efficiently and economically as possible.
If the printing requirements are outside the scope of Printing Services’ capabilities, University Communications and Marketing will determine printing specifications and will work with Procurement on bidding. See the Printing Services website (www.winthrop.edu/printing/) for detailed information about on-campus printing capabilities.
Whether printing on-campus or off, University Communications and Marketing makes every effort to specify recycled papers and environmentally safe soy-based inks. They will also recommend appropriate cost-efficiency measures where applicable.
For any off-campus printing project, the guidelines in the South Carolina Government Printing Services Manual apply, and approval by University Communications and Marketing is required. They can provide assistance in completing printing specifications forms.