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D’Youville College
Office of Communications
Planning to Print

Cooperation
This planning guide has been prepared by the
communications office in order to help all departments
plan upcoming printing jobs with a minimum amount of
hassle. Please refer to it to gain a better understanding
of both the communications office functions and the
publishing process.
Remember that when the communications office sets a
deadline for materials, it is with good reason (i.e. workload,
paper availability, length of time to produce a piece).
Overall, the prime concern is that each department is
pleased with its printed piece and that jobs are delivered
on time.
Purpose
The dual purpose of the communications office is to help
departments produce quality print items that follow a
consistent campus format and serve as a clearinghouse for
all campus printing activities. This guide was composed
to clarify the communications office policies in relation to
planning, writing, editing, designing, printing and delivery
of requested materials. It should be referred to when
preparing copy or designing any publication.
The communications office is located on the second floor
of 631 Niagara Street, Rooms 203-204. It is a two-person
office consisting of Cher Ravenell, publications supervisor
and Eleana Greco, publications specialist. The office can be
reached by phone at, Cher, 829.7814 or Eleana, 829.7813 or
by e-mail, communications@dyc.edu.
Please contact the office for assistance with any
publication questions from the planning to the printing
stage. Please keep in mind that the communications office
has to review and okay all publications before they will be
allowed to be printed.

Responsibilities
The communications office is responsible for, but not limited
to, creating and printing the following:
• Undergraduate and graduate catalogs
• General admissions brochures, mailers and
recruitment materials
• Alumni and loyalty fund brochures, mailers and
special event materials
• Travelbook
• D’Youville College print advertisements
• Departmental and degree-program brochures
• Campus directory
• Invitation and programs for all special events (dinners,
commencement, Honors Convocation, etc.)
• Department posters and flyers
• Award certificates
• Promotional literature
• Academic citations
• Honorary degrees
• Convocation and commencement scripts
• Business cards
• NCR forms
• Promotional Items
The communications office is NOT responsible for the
following:
• Typing blocks or pages of text “from scratch”
• Forms
• Form letters
• Examinations
• Classroom handouts
• Minutes of meetings
• Proposals
• Departmental memoranda
• Student-based flyers, newsletters, etc. (Since creating
publications is part of the students’ learning process,
the communications office will only provide advice as
needed.)

Planning Stage
When a department decides to create a publication, please
contact the communications office BEFORE committing any time
to the piece. Office personnel will help set a reasonable budget
and timetable and discuss writing style, layout and design. Please
be aware that the office uses MAC-based computers and software
(standard in the print industry). This makes it unnecessary for
originating offices to format anything ahead of time, since most
formatting is lost or garbled in the PC to MAC conversion.
If an office has a specific idea in mind, please voice it to the
communications office beforehand. Please bring existing samples
if they are available and the communications office will do its best
to recreate a publication.
Publications Timetable
The one-person communications office handles the majority of
D’Youville’s published materials. Therefore, it is a very busy office.
Please plan ahead. Ample time should be allowed to determine
printing specifications, create typesetting, check paper availability
and obtain necessary printer bids.
Keep in mind that holiday seasons and vacation times affect
printing schedules, so it is better to schedule a project far enough
in advance to avoid printing delays. Regardless of size and
quantity, planning ahead makes it easier for the printer and allows
more time to be dedicated to the finished product. The margin of
error increases when a job is handled on a rush basis.
Deadline Schedules
Good writing and design ideas do not always come quickly.
Please allow the communications office ample time to create
well-designed publications. It is wise to consult the office while
preparing materials so that valuable time can be saved. If there
is a specific deadline to be met, please mention it in the planning
stage. Use the following deadlines as a reference for your
publications. Keep in mind that one week is equal to five business
days on a printer’s work schedule.

ADVERTISEMENTS
Depending on the availability of artwork, logos and photos,
advertisements should be scheduled at least one week
before they are to be sent to a publication (newspaper, etc.).
Newspapers have their own deadlines for receiving cameraready
advertisements. Please schedule accordingly. Please
note that the communications office will only begin creating an
advertisement when ALL of the following is received:
1. Dimensions of the ad (horizontally and vertically) in
ACTUAL INCHES (not column inches)
2. Name of the publication
3. Name and e-mail address of sales representative
SMALL PUBLICATIONS
Publications such as tri-fold brochures, invitations, programs,
posters and flyers should be scheduled at least one week
before they are sent to the printer. Keep in mind
the exact date the publication will be distributed or mailed and
schedule accordingly.
LARGE PUBLICATIONS
These jobs, including catalogs and multi-page brochures and
manuals, should be scheduled with the communications office
as soon as possible. On average, four weeks or more are needed
to create and edit most of these large publications BEFORE
THEY ARE SENT TO THE PRINTER. The office will help create a
reasonable deadline schedule for each publication depending on
various writing, photographic, design and printing specifications.
NOTE: It is not the communications office’s
responsibility to prompt offices when to schedule
publications. Since the office works with all
departments, it is hard to keep a running schedule
of EVERYTHING that happens on campus.
RE-RUNS
Please alert the communications office to keep a publication on
a computer file if you anticipate using it again in the future. It
is easier and quicker to update something rather than create it
“from scratch.”

Writing Stage
In order to cut down on the amount of errors in a written piece, the
communications office does not type any long blocks or pages of
text. Please e-mail all copy in single-spaced MS Word format or
as a text file. The communications office is MAC computer based
and many special commands do not translate from PC software.
Because of this, please do not include the following:
• Headers or footers (including footnotes)
• Columns
• Macros
• Enlarging of text
• Colors
• Photos or graphics
• Boxes or lines
• Italics
• Bolding
• Underlining
• Page numbers
If you have any special instructions for a section of text, please
provide a printed copy through interoffice mail and indicate where
to include these features.
Please be aware that the office does not employ a trained
writer but editing can be done if a department needs help with
composing text.
Before you begin to write, consider the following:
• Is there a need for this piece
Is there an existing publication that would fill the need
Overlap and duplication of effort are costly.
• Can an existing publication be updated and
revised to be more effective
• Does the copy adequately fit the reason of the
publication Who is the audience
Readership will determine the style, language and
content of each piece.

Proofreading & Signoffs
After the originating office has initially proofread any text, the copy
should be e-mailed to the communications office to be checked
for any errors and to be placed in a publication. As part of the
public relations department, the communications office uses the
most current edition of the ASSOCIATED PRESS STYLEBOOK in
order to edit all copy of printed material. This book is a standard
reference in the journalism industry and ensures a concise and
consistent writing style. The book is available at any bookstore for
those who want to refer to it while in the writing stage of a project.
Once the communications office has finished designing a
publication, a mock-up copy or proof will be sent directly to the
originator with a sign-off sheet attached. The originator should
then proofread the entire publication for any graphic or typewritten
errors.
If minor errors are found, the originator should mark them directly
on the mock-up copy. Please do not send minor changes (typos,
punctuation corrections, etc.) by e-mail since the communications
office does not re-format text once it has been placed in a
document. After proofreading is done, please send the updated
mock-up and the sign-off sheet back to the communications office.
If minor errors are found, please mark the sign-off sheet with the
words “WITH CORRECTIONS.” If significant errors are found, the
communications office will issue a second proof.
Although proofreading may be the most important part of
producing a piece, it often slows down the printing process.
Generally, each department will be given ample time to proofread
any project and the entire process should not exceed one week.
Changes to copy marked “FINAL PROOF” will be made only if
absolutely necessary (i.e. typos).
Remember that it is very costly and time consuming to make
any changes to a publication once it has been sent to the printer.
Revisions also delay printing delivery times. Constant changes tend
to make typesetters, graphic designers and printers lose patience.

Design & Artwork
As with any company, a look has been created for D’Youville
College and any publication created by the communications
office will conform to this look. While many offices would
prefer to have a different look to their publications and
have them standout from other offices on campus, this
is not allowed. These determinations are preset and very
few changes can be made regarding colors and fonts. The
communications office will assist departments in determining
the appearance of any publication including the following:
• Paper selection
• Format & size
• Style
• Color
• Fonts
• Photography
• Artwork & graphics
Please give the communications office a clear idea of
what you have in mind. If there are certain preferences or
suggestions, please present them before the publication is
completed. If an office wants to revise a previously printed
job or create a publication similar to another printed piece,
bring samples for estimates.
Keep in mind that creativity does not always come quickly.
Please allow enough time to encourage good design.
COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE
The communications office uses graphic design software
for MAC computers including InDesign, PhotoShop and
Illustrator. These software packages are standard in the
printing industry. Unfortunately, after the publications are
prepared on a MAC, they cannot be easily manipulated on a
PC whether or not the same software is used. An attempt by
individuals on campus to create publications using software
such as Publisher and similar software only creates additional
costs for the college to print. The communications office
discourages offices from doing this.

On & Off Campus Printing Costs
The communications office attempts to prepare all printready
copy for every job and most jobs are designed
internally. If internal service cannot be provided, alternate
suggestions will be made.
On-Campus
Offices are not charged for internally produced
compositions, designs or finished artwork. Offices pay
only for toner and paper costs. Color copies can be made
internally in the communications office but offices will be
charged per copy. If excessive copies are required, the job
will be sent off-campus for printing.
BUDGET
Please let the communications office know if there is a
specific budget planned for a publication. Try to be flexible
enough to make some changes in order to stay within
budget allocations. Remember that a publication not only
represents an individual program, but D’Youville College as
a whole.
ESTIMATES
The communications office will provide estimates before
any work is done. Please remember that estimates are only
as accurate as the information provided (number of pages,
etc.) and that paper prices do fluctuate from year to year.
When job specifications change, so do the prices.
QUANTITY
When ordering printed materials, keep in mind how many
copies are necessary for distribution. Generally printers
charge an initial set-up fee as well as a price for the number
of copies. If reprints are needed, another set-up fee will be
charged.

Off-Campus Timetables
One of the communications office’s main concerns is that
finished publications arrive on time. If a publication has
any of the following specifications, it will affect how long it
takes to print:
• More than one-color ink
• Printing on both sides of the paper
• Folding
• Perforation
• Wafer sealing
• Special bindings
• Cutting of paper
• Large quantity ordered
The communications office can help set a reasonable
timetable for deliveries. Please be flexible, especially with
large orders.
Printing Vendors
CORRESPONDING WITH PRINTERS
The communications office takes pride in the rapport
it has established with various printing vendors in the
Buffalo area. Because of this, the communications office
will act as the official liaison between these vendors. If a
problem arises, please present it to the communications
office so that it can resolve the situation. Individual offices
should not contact printers directly. Many times this
causes confusion and pricing may be different due to an
inaccurate description of the job to be printed.
Although the office keeps abreast of what areas vendors
specialize in, it is also welcome to work with any other
vendors if specified. Please let the office know if there is a
particular vendor to use for a specific job.

Purchase Orders
It is the individual office’s responsibility to prepare a
purchase requisition. Consult the sign-off sheet provided
during the proofreading process for the exact printing
specifications, price and vendor to include on the PO. These
specifications MUST be transferred to the PO since they
are the only direction a printer has when producing a piece.
When in doubt, call the communications office at 829.7813
or 829.7814. If the job is a re-run of a previous one, the office
can provide an updated cost.
ALL purchase orders for printing jobs must include the
following:
1. Vendor information
2. Printing specifications
3. Quantity
4. Price
5. Signature of the office budget administrator
6. Budget number to be charged
After this is done, please send the PO to the communications
office for approval. It will then be sent to the purchasing
office for final approval and be given a PO number before it
is sent to the vendor.
Be advised that no vendor is authorized to start or complete
any job without these authorizations. The purchasing office
has the right to reject payment on any print job that does
not have an authorized PO.

D’Youville College Office of Communications
631 Niagara Street, Buffalo, New York 14201
716.829.7813/ 716.829.7814
communications@dyc.edu