The Office of Public Information and Government Relations seeks to enhance communication and facilitate information sharing about the College both internally and externally. Its primary functions are to serve as the gatekeeper for the release of information to the media and other external audiences, support student recruitment efforts, plan and direct all College marketing efforts, and assist in building and maintaining good working relationships with local and state elected officials. The office is responsible for maintenance of the College Web site and the production of all official College marketing materials.
As the primary gatekeeper for the release of College information to the media, the Office of Public Information is responsible for the preparation and dissemination of all press releases and media announcements on behalf of the College. This office acts as the liaison between the College and the media, and requests that all media inquiries be initiated here. In the event that other campus departments or individuals are contacted directly by a member of the media, the contact should be referred to the Office of Public Information prior to the release of any information.
The Office of Public Information coordinates the collection and storage of College photographs. A staff pictorial directory, entitled Faces, is maintained by this office. New employees should stop by the office during their first week of employment to have a photograph taken for inclusion in the directory.
Campus publications are largely maintained by the Office of Public Information and Government Relations. This includes, but is not limited to:
For a complete listing of all Campus publications and documents, visit the Documents page. For a complete listing of all College forms, which are not maintained by the Office of Public Information and Government Relations, please visit the Forms page. Student and faculty-driven campus publications include HCC’s literary art magazine, the Hedge Apple.
The Public Information Office at HCC maintains pages on Facebook and Twitter as a way to provide announcements and information on upcoming events and activities, as well as to provide a forum for open discussion among students, faculty, staff, and the community.
Creation & Maintenance of Pages
The “official” HCC institutional pages on Facebook and Twitter have been created and are maintained by the Public Information Office. Individual department pages and student club pages may be created if they adhere to following:
• Departments and student groups must obtain approval from the Public Information Office to establish an individual page on Facebook or Twitter.
• All pages must follow established guidelines for naming conventions, image selection, and other page features.
• Page administrators of department pages must include the director of Public Information, the department supervisor, and the department person who is charged with maintenance of the page.
• Page administrators of student club pages must include the club advisor, the director of Public Information, and a student officer of the club who is charged with maintenance of the page. Each time a new student officer is elected, the password must also be changed.
• On Facebook, only the main HCC page is to be set up as a “fan” page. Departments and student clubs must be set up as “groups.” No “friend” pages are to be established on behalf of any entity of HCC. Friend pages are designed exclusively for individuals. Facebook’s help section says, “Groups and pages serve different purposes. Groups are meant to foster group discussion around a particular topic area while fan pages allow entities such as public figures and organizations to broadcast information to their fans.”
Posting of Information
• All content and posts are bound by the terms of use of the specific social networking site, HCC’s Guidelines for Social Networking, HCC’s Employee Code of Conduct, HCC’s Code of Student Conduct, and HCC’s Acceptable Computer Usage Policy. Content submitted by individuals does not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions held by the college.
• College employees who have information to share with a general audience are encouraged to provide it to the Public Information Office for inclusion on HCC’s institutional pages, via e-mail to Leigh-Anne Mauk at maukl@hagerstowncc.edu.
• Information posted on group pages by administrators should be maintained on a regular basis, with information posted frequently.
• Outdated material should be removed as soon as possible.
• All content should be accurate, concise, student-oriented, sensitive to diverse audiences, and respectful to the college, its employees, students, and the community.
Monitoring of Content
• The director of Public Information and page administrators are charged with regularly monitoring each page in order to respond to user concerns and address issues of inappropriate conduct, with warnings to be issued as needed.
• HCC officials have the right to remove any content deemed to be offensive, inappropriate, or of a harassing or threatening nature. HCC also has the right to block posts from fans or followers who violate these guidelines.
• Concerns of abusive or inappropriate content should be reported according to the procedures posted on the social networking site and shared with HCC’s Office of Public Information at stullb@hagerstowncc.edu.
NOTE: HCC will continue to study trends and case law related to social networking and update these guidelines as needed.
Last updated - November 2009
The official Facebook page for Hagerstown Community College serves as a place for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the college to share news, information, photos, and videos. Please note that not all information expressed here reflects the thoughts or opinions of HCC. HCC officials have the right to remove any content deemed to be offensive, inappropriate, or of a harassing or threatening nature. Repeat offenders will be removed as a fan from the HCC page.
HCC makes several of its facilities available for outside groups to rent when not in use for college-related classes and activities. See the list below for available facilities.
Alumni Amphitheater
The HCC Alumni Association Amphitheater seats 660. The amphitheater has its own sound system, theater lighting capability, and dressing rooms. An external building on the upper level supports ticket sales and concessions. Lawn seating allows up to 400 additional audience members. The amphitheater is typically used for plays and outdoor concerts. Seasonal use only.
Contact: James Feagin, Director, Library Services and Distance Education, at 301-790-2800, ext. 230, or via e-mail at feaginj@hagerstowncc.edu
Athletic, Recreation and Community Center (ARCC)
The ARCC arena is 47,520 square feet and contains three suspended hardwood playing surfaces (one collegiate-size basketball court, two high school-size basketball courts) and a 4,000 square foot lobby area.
There is no air conditioning in this building, but heating is provided by natural gas and electric heat pumps.
Any group wishing to rent the ARCC must submit a proposal to the ARCC Coordinator. Once the proposal has been reviewed and approved, a contract is established to determine rental fees. Both profit and non-profit groups are welcome to rent the ARCC for a variety of events including sporting events, commencement ceremonies, job fairs, and craft fairs, among other activities.
Contact: Amy Sterner, ARCC Facilities Coordinator, at 301-790-2800, ext. 404, or via e-mail at sternera@hagerstowncc.edu
Classroom Building Auditorium
The Classroom Building Auditorium (CLR-111) seats 206. The theater has its own sound system, theater lighting, data projection, and an instructor station and is best used for film screenings, lectures, concerts, meetings, and minimalist plays.
Contact: James Feagin, Director, Library Services and Distance Education, at 301-790-2800, ext. 230, or via e-mail at feaginj@hagerstowncc.edu
Kepler Theater
The Atlee C. Kepler Theater seats 440. The theater has its own sound system, theater lighting, and data projection capabilities, as well as a backstage area, dressing rooms and workshop to support sets and costuming needs. In addition, the theater features a ticket booth, lobby area, and a kitchen to support event management and light catering.
Kepler Theater is used for all forms of performing arts including film screenings, lectures, large meetings, panel presentations, and public governmental meetings. The lobby is typically used for art exhibitions such as the annual R. Benjamin Jones Art Show.
Please note that the Kepler Theater will be unavailable for outside rentals due to renovations and a new addition for at least one year. Construction is intended to start in July 2010.
Contact: James Feagin, Director, Library Services and Distance Education, at 301-790-2800, ext. 230, or via e-mail at feaginj@hagerstowncc.edu
Jason Buhrman, Theater Technician, at 301-790-2800, ext. 337, or via e-mail at buhrmanj@hagerstowncc.edu
The Merle S. Elliott Continuing Education and Conference Center
(Located in the upper level of the Career Programs Building)
The focus of The Merle S. Elliott Continuing Education and Conference Center is to provide meeting space for educational and/or learning events. The conference center offers five training rooms and can accommodate up to 150 attendees seated classroom-style with two additional breakout rooms. Each room offers state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment.
Contact: Deborah Staley, HCC Conference Planner, at 301-790-2800, ext. 454, or via e-mail at staleyd@hagerstowncc.edu
Other Services
Videoconferencing: HCC rents out its interactive classroom (ISDN or IP protocols) to outside agencies. Please contact call 301-790-2800, ext. 587 for additional information.
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