The Department of University Relations is principally responsible for sharing the university’s story with the media, the public and the university community itself, while also providing marketing counsel and related creative services in the areas of writing, photography, graphic design, multimedia and audio/visual production needs to the University of Maine community. To do so, it employs a number of vehicles targeting campus and off-campus audiences.

As the primary contact point for reporters seeking information about the university, the department provides comprehensive media relations services, working with state, regional and national media on newsworthy events and issues occurring on campus, as well as offering publicity for university programs, events and activities. Daily, it responds to media inquiries, frequently connecting reporters to faculty experts, and it serves as a bridge to the public by answering university-related questions.

University news is reported daily through its websites, UMaine News and UMaine Research, and it publishes the award-winning UMaine Today magazine, which is published five times annually and highlights creativity and achievement at the University of Maine.

Through the Web Office, the department oversees the management of the university’s websites.  Through Creative Services, it oversees advertising and regulates the commercial and internal use of the university’s name and identifying marks; it consults with university offices and departments on their proper use. The department also issues the university’s official style guide. The department assists all units of the university, stressing a team approach in defining and translating marketing and communication needs.