About

Office of the Vice President for Communications

The Office of the Vice President for Communications at the University of Michigan is a comprehensive strategic communications and marketing group dedicated to enhancing and promoting the U-M community. Our mission is to elevate the university’s global presence, foster meaningful engagement, and share the Michigan story with a diverse audience.

We partner across all three U-M campuses to provide an array of services, including brand management, digital media strategy, social media oversight, executive communications, media relations, and marketing. From creative services, like photography and video production, to content creation for news and social platforms, our team ensures U-M’s message is clear, compelling and impactful.

Through collaboration with departments across the university, we help amplify the work of U-M’s faculty, staff, and students while shaping the narrative that drives U-M’s legacy of excellence. Our work is guided by the principles of innovation, inclusion and integrity—showcasing the best of Michigan to the world.

Our office serves the U-M community through six collaborating areas:

Communications Policy & Administration

  • Our Film Office helps filmmakers find the perfect location at U-M and make all of the necessary arrangements for a smooth production on campus.
  • The Freedom of Information Act Office assists individuals seeking documents about the University’s business activities.

Digital Strategy & Michigan Commons

  • Digital Media provides guidance and best practices for web and mobile solutions that enhance the global brand reputation of U-M. This team is responsible for leadership, oversight and guidance for U-M’s gateway and other key centrally managed sites.
  • Social Media known as UMSocial oversees the strategic direction and development of all university-wide social accounts, as well as college-, school- and program-level presences, to encourage collaboration, unified messaging, and proper brand representation. UMSocial also maintains the official social leadership listing, accounts inventory and policy and provides social media consultation and training.
  • The Branding Office is responsible for managing and unifying the university’s brand presence across campus and around the globe.
  • Michigan Commons is a one-stop shop for communications and marketing resources at University of Michigan. This ever-growing selection content — images, videos, and templates — are available for use by U-M communicators.

Executive Communications

Executive Communications works with both the Office of the Vice President for Communications and the Office of the President to develop executive speeches, remarks, presentations, letters and videos that express and support the president’s vision and goals for U-M.

Human Resource Communications & Strategic Initiatives

Human Resource Communications & Strategic Initiatives facilitates and directs strategy and execution for a broad range of marketing, issues management and complex organizational change programs at U-M.

Marketing Enterprise

  • Michigan Creative offers a full range of marketing and communication services to the U-M community including strategy, market research, communications planning, creative work, graphic design, web development, print materials, multimedia development special project and social media consultation.
  • Michigan Media offers full-service studio and on-location video production services to the U-M and Ann Arbor communities from concept and script development to event coverage, editing, post-production services, duplication and distribution.
  • Michigan Photography provides a variety of photography services (portraits, events, passports, etc.) and maintains a database of more than 400,000 university images that are available for purchase online.

Media & Public Relations

  • Michigan News builds institutional reputation and promotes public awareness about U-M around the globe through news releases, social media and videos. This team also publishes “Michigan Today,” an online magazine for Michigan alumni.
  • Michigan Public is the university’s National Public Radio station. The station airs news and information content 24 hours per day, seven days per week via five FM signals: WUOM 91.7 FM in Southeast Michigan, WFUM 91.1 FM in Flint, WRSX 91.3 FM in Port Huron, WLNZ 89.7 FM in Lansing and WVGR 104.1 FM in West Michigan. Michigan Public’s reach is further extended via its news website, online streaming, mobile phone apps, and social media profiles.
  • The Office of Public Affairs and Internal Communications performs two complementary roles. The Public Affairs team develops communication strategies for important U-M priorities and initiatives, manages emerging public issues and crisis communications and responds to media inquiries involving U-M’s president and central administration among other roles. The Internal Communications team publishes the official faculty-staff news source, The University Record, both online and in print.