Journalists On Campus

If a person identifies themselves as a journalist and asks you for information:

Please continue to be your usual friendly and helpful selves (as you would with any member of the general public). 🙂

If they are asking for basic information that you know is open to the public (i.e. that you would give out to anyone else), please feel free to give it to them.

If they are asking for contact information for faculty, instructors or staff from our organization, you can help them find that on the external FRCC website (employee directory). This is public information, available to all.

Please also suggest they get in touch with Jessica Peterson, FRCC's Communications Director (jessica.peterson@frontrange.edu or 303-404-5133). Tell them Jessica can be helpful in getting ahold of information and people from all three FRCC campuses, and that she is very responsive to journalists and their deadlines.

If their request is more complex—or you're unsure of whether what they're asking for is public information—please have them contact Bob Gregory in Human Resources who is FRCC's contact for requests under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA).

As our CORA custodian, Bob can be helpful with gathering responsive information and making sure it is a releasable public record. (robert.gregory@frontrange.edu or 303-404-5473)

Please also feel free to direct anyone requesting records to this page on our website—just look for Colorado Open Records Act (CORA).

Always feel free to contact your direct supervisor if you’re unsure of how to proceed.

If a journalist asks you for an interview, please refer them to Jessica. (You could also ask them to have a seat and wait, then you can contact Jessica to discuss.)

If they are recording video/audio of you as they ask you questions, just know that this is legal if you're on public property in a public space, and as long as they are not unduly disrupting campus operations. Generally speaking, they can legally film anyone who is in that public space provided they do so in a non-disruptive manner. (Employee offices and classrooms are not public spaces, but the Student Center and Welcome Center are.) If you do not wish to be filmed, you can certainly politely ask them to stop recording, but they may not be legally required to comply.

These situations are very rare, but if it happens, please simply continue to provide your usual professional customer service.

What they may be looking for is conflict—or an employee who tries to deny them their First Amendment rights. Stay calm and respectful, and answer basic questions (when the answers are public information that you would give to other FRCC guests).

If they are doing something illegal, disrupting operations, or they are in a place that is not open to the public, call campus safety.

If a person threatens you or others, call campus safety (or 9-1-1 if you feel law enforcement needs to be involved).