Media Relations

Tips for working with the media

University Privacy Policy

In light of recent conversations with academic leaders and faculty about navigating difficult conversations, often with students, surrounding very public issues that may intersect with very important data privacy laws, University Relations worked with the Provost's Office, Office of General Counsel and others to draft Navigating Privacy document [PDF] (available at https://z.umn.edu/Navigating_Privacy). 

The document provides basic guidance about laws and policies surrounding public data, what is generally defined as private information, and what obligations we all have to protect information legally defined as private or protected. 

The intersection of all of these circumstances can be particularly challenging when an issue is playing out broadly in the media but the University and its employees can share little about it due to privacy concerns. This document can help faculty and staff, at minimum, understand these challenges and the considerations at play in those moments.

Emergency info

Many faculty are contacted by reporters for their expertise. However, if local reporters or TV crews simply appear on campus and walk into offices or even classrooms "fishing" for comments to include in adversarial reports, faculty and staff do not need to reply to such queries and, if students are involved in such fishing expeditions in your presence, please make clear they have no obligation to respond either. This is not appropriate "reporter-reportee" etiquette and the reporters should be instructed on the appropriate process, which is to contact the News Service office.

The News Service main line number is 612-624-5551 and their 24-hour pager is 612-880-3056.