Guidelines

Ag Communications Submission Policies (PDF/260.26 KB)

Workorder Submission Policies

  1. Obtain a work order from the secretary in your department.
  2. Submit the completed work order form, place materials to be printed inside the work order envelope and submit the envelope to the Office of the Associate Dean for Extension for approval and signature. Work orders submitted without the Associate Dean's signature will be rejected and returned for signature.
  3. Once the job has been approved and signed by the Associate Dean the customers must hand deliver the work order to the Printshop.
  4. The printer will enter the job into a printing log to begin the production process and ask any necessary questions.
  5. If the job requires typesetting and graphics, it will be passed on to the graphic artist, who will be available to meet with the customer and discuss the job. The material(s) to be printed should be submitted electronically to danielym@fvsu.edu. (An artwork approval form must be signed by the customer to begin the printing process.)
  6. The turn-around production time for camera ready jobs is five working days. If more time is required, the printer will inform the customer and give a time estimate of the completion date.
  7. Once the job has been completed, the Printshop staff member will contact the customer for pick up.

*Please Note*

Before submitting work orders to Ag Communications, your Program Leader must review and approve your submissions.

Editing

All College of Ag documents for external use must be proofread and approved by our staff before distribution. This includes all materials produced in county offices for clients. Additionally, the SACS accreditation statement below must be included on certain documents.

SACS Statement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal and, where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities and wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, based on the passage of the Food & Agricultural Act of 1977 on September 29, 1977, and in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mark Latimore Jr., Extension Administrator and Director of Land-Grant Affairs for the College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, Fort Valley State University, a State and Land-Grant Institution, University System of Georgia. Fort Valley State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees.Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Fort Valley State University. Fort Valley State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or marital or veteran status.

The editing process can range from two weeks to more than a month, depending on the nature of the project. Once a request is submitted, an approximate completion time will be provided.

Media Relations

The communications department and administrators should be promptly notified of all potentially sensitive, contentious or controversial media inquires for the purpose of identifying the appropriate spokesperson and arranging for interviews or statements, if deemed necessary.

As a courtesy, please notify someone in the agricultural communications department if you are expecting media coverage or have participated in an interview with a reporter. It is important to know, and keep track of, the College's media exposure.

Graphics Production Timelines

Quick copies and layouts (little or no layout needed): Submit five days – two in advance weeks (depends on the quantity)

News releases and media coverage: Submit a publicity request form two – four weeks in advance

When a job requires layout and design by graphic artist: Submit two – four weeks in advance

Annual publications: Submit six months in advance

Vinyl signs: Submit two – four weeks in advance

Displays: Submit two months in advance

Publicity/Photography

Those requesting assistance of ag communications to publicize or take photographs an event, or newsworthy opportunity, must submit requests in writing at least two weeks in advance.

Writing Style Standards

Writers for the College of Agriculture, Family Science and Technology, especially those who work in the agricultural communications department, should use "The Associated Press Stylebook" as their primary style guide. Many of the entries in this manual are from that book used by thousands of publications throughout the United States.

The "Associated Press Stylebook" is a good source for spellings of proper names and technical or media-related terminology, as is the dictionary. A reliable and coherent written style is an important part of the College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology's image.

If you have any questions about procedures for submissions and/or services offered, please contact Marquinta Gonzalez, director of the Agricultural Communications Department.

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