News

The University Network offers communication solutions for college and university recreation departments

NIRSA-endorsed program announces new options, features, and strategies that can help you reach the people you want to reach on campus

If you are not already familiar with The University Network, TUN is a private, for-profit company that offers high-tech plasma screens to premier campus recreational sports facilities at no cost to the institution. The program was sanctioned by the NIRSA Services Corporation in April 2003.

While the screens do show commercial advertisements, an important part of the program is that the display can be used by a university’s Recreation Department for its own announcements and in-house promotions. This use includes production assistance from The University Network at no charge. In addition, for any paid commercial advertisements displayed on the screen, there is a revenue sharing agreement with the institution and NIRSA.

Thanks to NIRSA Member participation and satisfaction, TUN is growing steadily, with nearly 200 screens on more than 150 campuses. While the footprint is making great progress, they realize that the advertising sales part of the program is not growing proportionately. Therefore, they have decided to reach out to media companies in search of a new investor or strategic partner with significant experience selling advertising into alternative media outlets. There are several interested parties, many of them names you would appreciate and recognize. Further updates will be provided as the search progresses.

Options

With a new option available—offering more screens and more communications spots in lieu of revenue sharing—more universities are choosing to go this direction. They feel that the value of the free service to communicate with their students in such a high-tech fashion is a win-win situation for both administrators and students.

New software and educational tools

While many institutions enjoy the free creative services provided by TUN, several have requested tools to manage their own creative process from start to finish. Therefore, TUN has developed a new module for their online creative tool, ARMS (Announcement Request Management System). The new module is called SCOT (Spot Creation Online Tool), and it allows users to enter information in ARMS and choose or upload graphics. When you click submit, a finished video renders and is automatically scheduled based on your input. Your video library is kept where you can make changes. You will also have access to other templates that universities choose to add to the shared file library. Following testing, TUN’s goal is to launch the program by mid-fall 2006.

TUN is in the process of updating their University Services manual to include tutorials on SCOT. The new manual will be issued this fall. They are also working to create online video tutorials for ARMS, Installation Prep, and SCOT. Their goal is to introduce these tools after the winter break in January.

Marketing

TUN has continued to expand its marketing efforts in the following ways:

• Sponsoring the NIRSA National Marketing Institute in San Antonio in the fall
• Expanding their relationship with ACUI (Association of College Unions International) to involve hardware sales promotions
• Joining the American Student Government Association (ASGA) and exhibiting at their conference in D.C. this fall
• Advertising in the ACUI Bulletin
• Advertising in University Business magazine (see below)
• Scheduling additional market research for fall 2006

In particular, the goal with the University Business magazine campaign is to increase awareness with those responsible for signing the agreements between the university and TUN. Making all touch points – including IT managers, Vice Chancellors, Purchasing Managers, etc. – aware of the benefits of the TUN program should make it easier for recreational sports directors to get their agreements processed.

The University Network is now four years old. Competitors are coming into this space every year, but feedback from NIRSA Members is that you appreciate TUN’s efforts to ensure that their advertising and content is beneficial to students. While this approach may have gotten the program off to a slower start than we would prefer, we know it is the right approach and that it will pay off in the long run.