The University of Houston faced its ups and downs in 2016. The departure of Coach Tom Herman. Rejection of the Big 12 expansion. The courtroom showdown with South Texas College of Law. Serving as the host site of the “Super Tuesday” Republican Presidential Debate.

How does a communications team adapt and keep the focus on promoting major programs and priorities when the stories keep coming – and changing – one after another? Join PRSA Houston at the Houston Racquet Club for the first luncheon of 2017 on Wednesday, Jan. 11, when Mike Rosen, Executive Director of Media Relations for the University of Houston System, will discuss:

• Creating messaging and generating content focused on key organization initiatives (energy, research and athletics, in the case of UH)
• Leveraging high visibility issues in the news that play to an organization’s expertise 
• Balancing act of feeding various platforms while handling media requests, issues management and crisis communications
• Cross-functional role of media relations during crisis and issues management
  

Early-bird registration continues through Jan. 6, at 5 p.m.

The PRSA Houston Chapter Board of Directors has approved the following changes to the pricing for the monthly professional development luncheons beginning in January 2017, due to significant increases in costs at the Houston Racquet Club:

Members
• $40 Early Bird, if registered by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the event
• $47 Walk-in

Non-Members
• $47 Early Bird, if registered by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the event
• $52 Walk-in

Students
• $26

Based on results of the 2016 chapter survey, alternate opportunities for professional development will be offered several times this year. Breakfast sessions and after work meetings will replace some of our monthly luncheons. More details are coming soon. 

The Valenti School of Communication at the University of Houston invites members of PRSA to attend the Summit on Sports Media on Tuesday, Jan. 31. The day-long event will bring speakers from around the world to the UH campus to discuss how immersive technologies – such as virtual and augmented reality – are influencing sports communication. From engaging sessions on creating immersive videos to discussing how major brands are measuring social media impact, the Summit on Sports Media will be packed with resources for current and aspiring communication professionals. Registration for all the sessions, including lunch, is $50. For more information and to register, visit: HoustonSportsSummit.com.