Day by day we get better and better, Huskers! This winter issue of the Brand Report provides access on getting the latest branded templates, information on how to get connected with other visual communicators on campus via Teams, some tips and tricks, and a big red welcome to the VCN's two new members of the Leadership Committee.
Notes from Happy Half-Hours
Our November Happy Half-Hour
During the latest happy half-hour gathering (we took a break in December and January) we discussed the roles of the leadership committee at the VCN and what is involved. We talked about how the VCN leadership committee provides a voice to the VCN, makes some decisions regarding our brand and works through issues and requests. We walked through the time commitments, tasks and duties as well as how the committee is made-up: 1 ASEM member, 2 UComm members and four college/unit members. We also announced the release of three different templates for InDesign and Powerpoint, we hope you are able to use them. We launch them today. See below for more details on how to download them.
Announcements
New Branded Templates Released on Teams
Did you check out the latest branded templates shared on the VCN Teams channel this week? Templates include PowerPoint presentation files, brochures, flyers and postcards.
Join VCN Teams
VCN Chat Moved to Teams
We transitioned over to Microsoft Teams! Click the link below to join the VCN Teams, where you can share your work, ask questions and look for resources.
Join VCN Teams
Sisco, Thompson Join VCN Leadership Committee
Two visual communicators started their two-year terms on the VCN Leadership Committee in January. Sam Sisco, graphic design specialist, will represent ASEM on the committee. Mary Thompson, creative production manager of the Pixel Lab, serves as one of four committee members representing colleges and units across campus.
Sisco, who joined the university in 2021, said, “I’m excited about this opportunity because the VCN gets to help cultivate interest in and promote intelligent conversation about visual communication across campus.” Learn more about him in this issue's Visual Communicator of the Quarter feature.
Thompson joined the university in 2014 as a graphic designer for the Pixel Lab housed in the College of Education and Human Sciences. She currently serves as its manager of creative production. She earned her BFA in graphic design and illustration, an MA in integrated media communications, and a graduate certificate in public relations and social media.
"I look forward to collaborating with and learning from other communicators and committee members. The VCN is a valuable resource for the Nebraska brand so I'm excited to be involved," she said.
The Leadership Committee fosters a collaborative visual communicator network, solicits designer and stakeholder feedback, makes decisions regarding the university's brand and works through brand issues and requests. Other current members include: Ryan Dee, Justin Gibson, Marcelo Plioplis and Kimberly Smith.
Tips, Tricks & Resources
InDesign Default Settings
When you customize your InDesign settings in the Preferences dialogue box, a lot of the settings are only applied to the document you currently have open.
Instead, close all your documents.
Now the settings that you select will be applied to any new document you create. This includes settings like which font is selected by default, so choose a font and size that you use consistently and select a fill/stroke that you use regularly. You can also do things like check Story, uncheck Hyphenate, switch your ruler increments to inches or pixels, upload the UNL color palettes, set the pasteboard dimensions, open/close workspace windows, and more. Anytime you need to adjust your defaults, just close all windows and make those changes.
What are some of the defaults that you use?
Communicator of the Quarter
Sam Sisco
Years at UNL
Just under a year
Specializations:
Graphic design
Q & A
Favorite color
Black
Visual communication pet peeve
Lack of care with kerning
Guilty pleasure
Binging Parks and Recreation or Brooklyn Nine-Nine
