Communication Policies
Publication Policies for Alumni Communications
Clear, consistent communication helps us celebrate our alumni community, share meaningful stories, and uphold the mission and values of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. To ensure accuracy, appropriateness, and fairness across our channels, we have established the following communication policies and guidelines, outlining what we can—and cannot—publish on our alumni platforms. We invite you to review these guidelines as you consider submitting content for newsletters, social media, or the alumni website.
If you have any questions or would like clarification on any part of our policies, please contact the Office of Alumni & Benefactor Engagement at alumni@smumn.edu or 507-457-6647. We’re happy to help.
Class notes are featured in Saint Mary’s Magazine, which is published twice per year—once in summer and once in winter. Saint Mary’s will publish only those notes that have occurred since the most recent class notes were gathered for the magazine. Notes pertaining to events or information more than six months old will not be included.
We welcome submissions highlighting professional accomplishments (such as new jobs, promotions, book publications, or awards), academic achievements (including new degrees or certifications), and personal milestones like marriages, births, and adoptions.
We also publish notices of the death of an alumnus/a, as well as sympathy messages when an alumnus/a loses a family member. If the deceased family member is also an alum or a current or former faculty/staff member, the sympathy note will be included automatically. If the deceased family member is not an alum, we publish the sympathy note only at the direct request or with the approval of the alumnus/a. For these purposes, “family member” includes a spouse, child, grandchild, step-child, parent, step-parent, parent-in-law, sibling, sibling-in-law, or grandparent.
Yes, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota also publishes class notes regarding current and former faculty and staff. These include notices of the death of a faculty or staff member, with no restrictions related to age, length of service, or position. We also share sympathies when a faculty or staff member loses a family member. If the deceased family member is an alum or a current or former faculty/staff member, the sympathy note will be included automatically. If the deceased family member is not an alum or faculty/staff member, we will publish the sympathy note only at the direct request or with the approval of the faculty or staff member. For these purposes, “family member” includes a spouse, child, grandchild, step-child, parent, step-parent, parent-in-law, sibling, sibling-in-law, or grandparent.
To protect the privacy and well-being of our alumni community, Saint Mary’s does not publish announcements about forthcoming events—such as planned weddings, expected parenthood, or anticipated career changes—as it can be hurtful or embarrassing if these significant moments do not occur as expected.
We also do not publish images with basic class notes. This policy follows the recommendation of the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, who advised that we must either publish all submitted images or none at all. Because image quality, size, and appropriateness vary widely, it is not feasible to include all images, and we therefore do not include any.
In addition, Saint Mary’s does not publish negative or sensitive news, such as arrests, convictions, or divorces.
If you become aware that an alum has died, please notify the Alumni Office at alumni@smumn.edu so we can update our records and send a sympathy card on behalf of the university.
Saint Mary’s also maintains an internal campus Request for Prayers system, through which we can invite our community to pray for the repose of their soul. To request prayers, anyone with a connection to the university—faculty, staff, students, or alumni—may email Eamon Naughton at enaughto@smumn.edu for inclusion in the internal campus Today e-newsletter.
Saint Mary’s does, when appropriate, notify classmates when a member of their class has passed away. With permission from a family member, we send an email to classmates that includes a link to the obituary, as many alumni appreciate being informed and may wish to attend services. This notification process applies only when the deceased is an alum.
At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, we love seeing the generosity and community spirit that inspire so many of our alumni, students, faculty, and friends to give back. Every day, members of our community lead incredible efforts to help those in need — and we’re grateful for that Lasallian spirit of service!
However, because Saint Mary’s is a nonprofit university, we’re not able to promote or advertise fundraisers or charitable efforts that are not directly affiliated with the university. This includes personal fundraising campaigns (such as GoFundMe pages), community benefit events, or charitable drives organized by outside groups.
Our goal is to remain fair, consistent, and transparent while keeping our focus on the mission of Saint Mary’s. This policy helps us:
Stay mission-aligned: We can only promote efforts that reflect our Lasallian values and institutional goals.
Be fair to everyone: We receive many requests and can’t promote some outside causes without doing the same for all.
Follow nonprofit guidelines: As a 501(c)(3) organization, there are limits on how we can use university communication channels.
Protect our community: We want to avoid sharing links or campaigns that we can’t verify for accuracy or accountability.
If you’re organizing a personal or community fundraiser, we encourage you to:
Spread the word on your personal social media accounts.
Connect with Campus Ministry or Student Life to explore service-related collaborations.
Join existing Saint Mary’s giving or volunteer initiatives that make a difference every day.
