Where possible, UAS sections are encouraged to cascade information via academic divisions (and Conference of Colleges, in the case of colleges).
There are two core ways of doing this: Items for Internal Dissemination and the University Cascade.
University Cascade
The University Cascade is disseminated via divisions to departments and via the Conference of Colleges for Oxford Colleges every two weeks during term time.
It is designed for HoDs, HAFs and local leadership teams, to ensure they are aware of key policy and operational decisions that may impact them.
- Items should be included in the Cascade if they are relevant to senior colleagues in relation to:
- Key policy decisions from university governance groups
- New operational University guidance (or significant updates to existing guidance)
- Updates about external developments that is likely to have a significant impact on the University
- Information about new and updated UAS services for departments and colleges
Items for Internal Dissemination
If information about UAS activities needs to reach a large number of staff and students, but is not necessarily relevant to senior leaders, Items for Internal Dissemination is an alternative channel to reach them.
IFID is an email digest which is sent to all Communications Officers across the collegiate University every Wednesday throughout the year via Heads of Divisional Communications and the College Communications Network.
Communications Officers then use IFID contents to include information in local communications channels such as newsletters, social media pages and Teams groups.
IFID should usually be used when there is a need to reach a wide audience through local communications channels.
To submit content to IFID, use this IFID submission form following this detailed guide. When completing this form, you can specify audiences (including specific parts of the University).
If it is felt that the Cascade or IFID are not appropriate channels for a particular piece of information, emails or other channels can be used (refer to emails section above or the Channel Framework).
Communications packs
When information that is being submitted to IFID is detailed and/pr complex. a communications pack will ensure your content is easily transferable for departmental audiences.
A communication pack could contain the following:
- Template emails (that can be sent to departmental colleagues via local stakeholders)
- Social media copy
- Social media images or infographics (assets)
- Template text for e-newsletters (max. 50-100 words is recommended)
- Official photography (must be GDPR-compliant)
Examples of communications packs can be found on the UAS communications SharePoint site. .
Communications packs should be hosted on the UAS Communications SharePoint site and linked to from IFID submissions.
Please note that communications packs should not usually be included in the University Cascade. Instead, Cascade entries should state that communications packs have been shared with communications teams.
Comms packs should only be included in the Cascade when there is a need for a very specific (non-communications) audience to make use of them (for example, asking teaching staff to share information with their students).
Urgent communications
If you have an urgent email (particularly of a security-nature) that you need to disseminate to divisions and departments, contact the relevant UAS Communications Lead, who can liaise with Divisional Communications Leads to disseminate the information in the most effective way. Divisional Communications Leads have direct lines of communication with Divisional Registrars, Heads of Administration and Finance (HAFs) and Heads of Department (HoDs).