Planning begins for next chapter of internal communications

As Inside Iowa State transitions to a summer schedule, university marketing and communications (marcom) will be reviewing strategies for faculty-staff communications. The review will align with a broader effort to develop a universitywide, collaborative internal communications strategy. 

A team from the University Marketing and Communications Strategy Council -- a new group composed of campus marketing and communications leaders -- will develop the strategy, which was a recommendation resulting from a working group tasked last year to propose ways to optimize organizational structure for marketing and communications.  

"Strategic and effective internal communications is a high priority," said Jacy Johnson, chief marketing and communications officer. "We want to define a coordinated, intentional approach that ensures our campus community is well-informed, connects our daily work to university priorities and helps foster a culture of pride and shared purpose."

Inside Iowa State: What to know

In addition to reviewing internal strategies, university marcom leaders will evaluate the role and responsibilities of the Inside Iowa State editor before posting a vacancy later this summer. This follows Inside Iowa State writer and editor Anne Krapfl's decision to retire after 33 years. During this transition period, Jeff Budlong, jbudlong@iastate.edu, a veteran writer for Inside Iowa State since 2018, will maintain production of this flagship communications vehicle with the support of colleagues in university marcom and other communicators around campus. Here's how to reach out or submit information: 

• Use online submission forms: To submit announcements, retirements and farewells, and achievements, readers should use the three submission forms found on the About Inside Iowa State page. 
• Electronic submissions: The inside@iastate.edu email remains an efficient way to submit a story idea, comment or question.  
• Event submissions: Submissions to the university events calendar also are reviewed for inclusion on the Inside website or in the weekly Inside email message. 

Summer 2026: An every-other-week schedule. As during recent summers, the companion email to Inside Iowa State will be sent to faculty and staff every other Thursday instead of weekly. Stories will continue to be posted to the Inside Iowa State website as they're completed. The Inside email summer schedule is:

• May 14, final week of spring semester 
• May 28 
• June 11 
• June 25 
• July 9 
• July 23 
• Aug. 6 
• Aug. 20 
• Aug. 27, first week of fall semester 

Readers can find this summer schedule on the About Inside Iowa State page.