The role of the educational public relations advisory committee in the school public relations program as perceived by public school public relations directors and superintendents /

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Cannon, Keith Lee, 1952-
Other Authors:	Hawkins, Harold L. (degree committee member.), Koldus, John J. (degree committee member.), Stark, Stephen L. (degree committee member.)
Format:	Thesis Book
Language:	English
Published:	1988.
Subjects:	Citizens' advisory committees in education. School administrators. Schools > Public relations. Major educational administration. Academic theses
Online Access:	ProQuest, Abstract Link to OAKTrust copy

Description
Abstract:	The primary purpose of this study was to determine, through a questionnaire submitted to public school PR directors and superintendents, perceptions on the role of the educational PR advisory committee in the educational PR program. The randomly-chosen sample populations consisted of 100 of the 642 members of the National School Public Relations Association identified in the 1985-86 NSPRA Membership Directory as school public relations directors, and 100 superintendents from school districts in which those PR directors were employed. PR directors returned 73 surveys and 68 were usable for a 73.9% adjusted response rate. Superintendents returned 59 surveys, and 51 were usable for a 52.6% adjusted response rate. Demographic data for the survey revealed that PR respondents predominately held bachelor's degrees in English or journalism and communications and many held graduate degrees in journalism or educational administration. Responding superintendents typically held doctorates, predominately in educational administration; had more than 15 years experience in education; and worked in medium-to-small sized school districts. Research data were treated over the 42 research items on 9 hypothesis areas by Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Significant differences were revealed between the perceptions of PR directors and superintendents. Some significant differences were also revealed among PR directors and among superintendents, particularly on the variables of school district size and the presence or absence of a PR advisory committee in the school district. Open-ended comments from both PR directors and superintendents gave favorable views of the advisory committee as a means of obtaining broad-based community input, fostering two-way communications and gaining support for the PR program. The primary drawback of the concept was seen as the possibility of the committee overstepping its role and moving into administrative concerns. Based on these results, it was recommended that specific guidelines be established to define the role and scope of PR advisory committees, and that PR directors work with committee members and administrators to give these groups a more complete view of the role of public relations in linking school with community.
Item Description:	Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Educational Administration."
Physical Description:	x, 210 leaves ; 29 cm
Bibliography:	Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-193).