Media Resource Guide to Faculty Expertise
The Communications Office maintains a web site of media resources. This listing includes any full-time faculty member who wishes to have their biographical profile and areas of expertise published on the web site and shared with the news media. This site is helpful for both the Communication staff and members of the media to quickly identify a faculty expert to serve as a news source. To be included in the online Media Resource Guide or to update your information, contact the Communications Office.
In addition, when news breaks within your area of expertise and you are available to comment on it, please contact a member of the Communications staff immediately. The news office will work to connect you with the appropriate regional or national reporters.
Opinion-Editorial Pieces
Opinion-editorials (op-eds) are opinion essays written by experts that are typically published on the page opposite the editorial page in newspapers. Op-eds provide an opportunity for faculty members to use their expertise on topics in the news to clarify or correct what has been reported in the press, to provide a new perspective on the issue, or to call for further action. Publication of op-eds written by faculty can call attention to the quality of AAU faculty and indirectly highlight the quality of the academic program.
The Communications Office assists faculty in placing op-ed articles in local, statewide, and national newspapers. By regularly working with op-ed editors, the Communication staff remains up-to-date on current trends in newsrooms and has current contact information for the major op-ed editors.
Op-eds appear in general-circulation newspapers and are designed for all audiences. The writing level of an op-ed page may be slightly above that of news pages (generally seventh to ninth grade level), but not much higher. Op-eds often have an 800 word limit. The Communications Office can assist faculty by providing editing advice and information about journalistic style. Op-eds need to follow the Associated Press Style Guide and accepted journalistic writing practices, which are different from the requirements of academic journals. The Communication staff also can be helpful in suggesting topics, narrowing a topic, editing, rewriting, and other tasks.
Public Records
As a state institution, the Addis Ababa University is governed by the ‘Mass Media and Freedom of Information Proclamation’, and certain information must be provided to anyone who asks, including members of the public and the news media. However, as an institution of higher education, the University is also governed by federal and state laws that limit the type of information that can be divulged about students and employees.
Personnel in the office are available to consult with faculty and staff members should the news media seek information about individual students or employees.