July 2005 Lawlor Focus

RSS: Maximizing Contact with Constituencies

E-mail once appeared to be a silver bullet for communicating with campus constituencies. Now, however, overcoming all the hassles associated with e-mail—maintaining e-mail lists, removing bounced addresses, finding new subscribers, formatting e-mail content to keep from being blacklisted and, after all that, wondering if all the various blockers mistakenly kept your message from even getting through—is a tremendous challenge. RSS technology represents a potential solution for colleges and universities.

The acronym "RSS" has two equally acceptable meanings: Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary. The concept of RSS is a bit hard to grasp before you try it, but in the simplest of terms RSS is an Internet headline service. Those who have set up RSS reader software, called aggregators, receive updated content (i.e., marketing messages, news headlines, blog postings, etc.) at regular intervals. This content comes in the form of headlines and appears in graphical format with pictures and fonts. Recipients click links of the headlines that interest them to visit landing pages or to reply.

Sounds like e-mail so far, right? Here's how RSS is different. Messages don't come in through the reader's e-mail system. (Even RSS programs that use an e-mail client as the platform initiate a separate "channel"—outside the e-mail pipeline—to receive the feeds, which means there are no spam filters with which to contend.) And, RSS is completely opt-in: A recipient must proactively choose to receive a feed. Since it's impossible to send unsolicited content via RSS, there are no issues with blacklists, spam complaints and other nuisances even the most scrupulously ethical organizations must contend with.

RSS can track all kinds of news provided by familiar sources, like Dilbert or The New York Times, and will notify users about new web content, such as blog postings, press releases or calendar updates. You'll know if an organization has an RSS feed when you see one of these symbols on a web page: . And, once you begin using RSS, you'll have an immediate "ah ha" understanding of the technology.

Adding RSS feeds to a web site offers browsers an efficient and effective way to stay informed—and invites them to visit again. Visitors to the Gustavus Adolphus College web site have the ability to subscribe to over 30 RSS feeds. Imagine the convenience for alumni, prospective students, parents or board members who want to get the latest sports scores, read the president's Convocation address or be reminded about upcoming scholarship programs: an RSS feed allows them to do all this, and more, without requiring them to check the web site and hunt for new information—and without having their e-mail in-box filled.

Unlike e-mail, which may wind up deleted even before it's opened, RSS allows users to get information on their terms, creating opportunity for more effective communication and interactivity. That said, RSS will not replace e-mail, just as e-mail did not replace all printed publications or letters. Nonetheless, RSS technology can be an important and effective tool for maximizing your strategic communications efforts.

Expert Perspective: Top Feeds

We asked Tim Goral, editor of University Business magazine, to share his favorite RSS news feeds with us.

"I currently have nearly 60 RSS feeds in my news aggregator (I use NetNewsWire) covering a wide range of interests, but some that I read daily include (in no particular order):

• MetaFilter (http://www.metafilter.com) has a cornucopia of information and interesting links.
• BoingBoing (http://www.boingboing.net) covers a tremendous range of material, including much info on Digital Rights Management and copyright law.
• Talking Points Memo (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com) posts interesting political commentary by a fine writer.
• Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com) is somewhat broader coverage than TPM above.
• Weblogs in Higher Education (http://www.mchron.net/site/edublog.php) is a new one on my list, but the author does a good job tracking how blogs are being used in higher ed."

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So you have RSS. Now what?

As with any other communications medium, the most effective way to deliver information via RSS feeds is to segment and personalize the content for each audience. "Feeds" for affinity groups, such as alumni, students or parents, are especially effective for pushing out content for specific audiences, much like that which is published in newsletters. For instance:

• A year in advance of Homecoming, add a feed to keep alumni up-to-date as class reunion events are confirmed and fundraising goals are achieved.
• Keep parents of current students informed about campus activities and important dates—as well as emergency situations that arise—with a feed just for them.
• Create a college counselor feed to let them know about new buildings or programs, updates to admission policies, counselor visit programs or other news that may be integral to their work with college admissions.

Other popular affinity groups revolve around athletics, Greek letter organizations, performance groups and special academic interest groups. Wherever such a shared interest exists, the institution has an opportunity to reach out and communicate with that group. Developing the affinity segment's interest naturally sustains their interest in the institution, and in the process more meaningful relationships are developed.

RSS feeds can also be organized by the topic of the content. Consider adding feeds for any area that might be of interest to multiple campus constituencies:

• News & Announcements — post headlines, notices and announcements
• Press Releases — push releases to media as soon as they are created
• Document Listings — highlight new or updated web pages so people don't need to constantly check the site for different content
• Calendars — list upcoming events, deadlines or holidays
• Weather — keep commuter students or parents of current students informed when harsh weather conditions affect the region
• Human Resources — post job openings
• Syllabi — list and update assignments
• Blogs — notify readers when new posts are made to campus journals or blogs
• Sports Scores — post the latest outcomes of campus sporting events
• Fine Arts or Campus Programs — invite friends of the college to the new museum exhibit, the choral concert or the celebrity book author reading

In the news

Teens love technology, but the recent Neilsen Norman Group study debunks the stereotype that teens are tech experts and gives credibility to a growing sentiment among many educators that teens often lack the technical skills necessary for college—and beyond. More than a digital divide, this represents a "proficiency divide": students have access to technology but don't know how to use it.

In response, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) has created a new standardized test, known as the Information and Communication Technology Assessment (ICT), to measure students' "literacy proficiency" and to help colleges plan curricular and library offerings accordingly.

ETS defines ICT literacy proficiency as "the ability to use digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to solve information problems in order to function in an information society." According to ICT Project Manager Teresa Egan, this includes the ability to use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information.

Egan encourages colleges to view it as more than a technology test. "This is really an assessment of cognitive skills," Egan explains. "Many students have technical skills, but not the cognitive skills for using technology. We are trying to see if a student knows how to legally and ethically use information."

For more information on the ICT Literacy Assessment, visit their web site.

Did you know?

Five percent of Internet users say they use RSS readers to get news and other information delivered from blogs and content-rich web sites, according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project memo (January 2005).

Slashdot.org—arguably the largest community-driven technology web site with a tech-savvy audience of over 4 million—published a study in March 2005, which revealed that 73 percent of existing RSS users intend to increase their RSS consumption this year.