East Tennessee State University. Office of University Relations

Biography

The Office of University Relations serves as a liaison between the university and the community. It has been suggested the department was created in 1951 as an outgrowth of the university's alumni services and was referred to as "Public Relations." In 1959, the two departments were brought together and called the Public Information and Alumni Services Office, but during the following year the two departments apparently separated; and each was referred to as the Office of Public Information and the Alumni Services Office. The Office of Public Information continued to work as an independent department under David M. McClellan (1965-68) and Ray Stahl (1968-77). In 1970, the department's title was changed to Public Relations Office; in 1977 the office became known as the Division of University Relations. In 1985, the office's title changed again, this time to the Offices of Alumni and University Relations. Alumni Affairs and University Relations became separate offices again in 1992.

Serving in a public relations function, the Office of University Relations reviews and edits university publications, produces news releases, monitors news coverage about the university, and collects newsclippings. In addition to these activities, University Relations produces photographs relating to ETSU events and faculty and coordinates public relations activities of administration and development.

The university photographer works within the Office of University Relations. When in 1964 Thomas N. Daniel became the chief photographer for the university, he worked in the Office of Public Information. Daniel retired in 1977 and was succeeded by Robert Cohn as photographer. In that year, the Office of Public Information became the Division of University Relations. Cohn remained photographer until 1980, when the current photographer, Larry Smith, assumed the position.

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