Communications Alignment Survey Results

A strong foundation with opportunities to improve.

Together, findings show a strong foundation of expertise, relationships and effective work across the university, along with meaningful opportunities to improve coordination, consistency and support.

Surveys received 268 responses total with 120 communicators and 148 stakeholders represented.

Our foundation

Communicators and stakeholders identified significant strengths across CSU communications, particularly in the expertise, relationships and strategic support communicators provide within colleges and units.

Communication strengths represented by level of agreement. In order: Work is viewed strategically (82.5%), Collaboration across CSU (79.2%), Deep unit knowledge (71.6%), Communicators' responsiveness (70.3%), and Strong relationships (69.6%) are our top strengths.

What we heard from communicators

Communicators value their close connection to the colleges and units they serve. Most said their work is viewed strategically within their unit (82.5%) and that they have opportunities to collaborate with peers across CSU (79.2%).

Only 42% of communicators see CSU communications as operating effectively. At the same time, they overwhelming believe there are opportunities to improve effectiveness and coordination across the university; 96.6% see opportunities to improve, including 50.8% who see significant opportunity.

96.6% of communicators see opportunity for improvement, with 50.8% seeing significant opportunity.

What we heard from stakeholders

Stakeholders identified several strengths in their communications support, particularly communicators’ deep knowledge of their units (71.6%), responsiveness (70.3%) and strong relationships within their units (69.6%). Overall, 62.2% rated their current communications support as effective or very effective.

Stakeholders broadly agree on CSU communication strengths including deep unit-level knowledge (71.6%), high responsiveness (70.3%), and strong relationships (69.6%)

The most common challenges were limited communications capacity (57.4%) and budget constraints (45.3%). Stakeholders saw opportunities to improve efficiency through shared resources, stronger collaboration and coordination, and more consistent tools and systems.

Stakeholders also agree on two primary elements that must be preserved: Unit flexibility (89%) and connection to unit leadership (86.4%)

They also placed a high value on maintaining local connections: 89% said colleges and units should retain flexibility in how they communicate, and 86.4% said communications decisions should remain closely connected to unit leadership.


Where alignment can help

Respondents identified several opportunities to improve coordination, efficiency and support across the communications ecosystem. Shared tools and systems emerged as the most frequently identified opportunity.

Respondents also identified a need for clearer roles and decision-making, stronger connections to university-level planning, better access to specialized expertise and analytics, and more opportunities for professional development.

69.2% of communicators and 46.6% of stakeholders agree that alignment provides an opportunity to create new shared tools and systems.
67.5% of communicators feel connected to unit-level planning, while only 30.8% feel connected to CSU-level planning.

Connection to planning

One notable gap was the difference between communicators’ connection to local and university-wide planning: 67.5% felt included in important unit-level communications planning, while only 30.8% felt included in important CSU-level planning.

*Communicators are more than twice as likely to feel included in unit-level planning as CSU-level planning.


Where roles and processes need clarity

Respondents generally agree that CSU’s brand standards are clear. Outside of branding, however, communications roles, responsibilities and processes are far less understood.

Clarity Scorecard: Brand standards are understood by 87.5% of respondents, whereas recruitment responsibilities, content strategy, internal communications processes, and project prioritization are all understood by 25% or fewer.

A shared direction

Across both surveys, respondents supported greater alignment when it strengthens – not replaces – the expertise, relationships and identities already embedded within colleges and units.

The findings point toward a communications ecosystem that combines local knowledge and flexibility with better tools, clearer processes, shared resources and stronger university-wide coordination. Trust, transparency and thoughtful change management are  essential as the work moves forward.