Creative Services

URCS is Cornell's in-house creative services team within University Relations, providing high-quality, brand-aligned design, photography, and video work to all Cornell units at no cost for the services provided.

We prioritize projects based on three key factors:

• URCS team availability - Current capacity and scheduling. E.g. if we don't have capacity for the required project dates and there's no flexibility in timing, we would need to decline the project.
• Your internal capability - Whether your unit has existing resources for the project. When a unit has internal resources (such as a staff designer or multimedia producer), we need to understand why the project can't be completed internally. This helps us make the best use of university-wide resources and ensure we're serving all units equitably.
• Strategic alignment - We want to confirm that the project supports your college or unit's key communication goals and priorities. Your unit's communications lead should agree that this project supports those priorities and goals. Projects included in annual strategic communications plans receive priority.

This approach helps us work efficiently and distribute services fairly across all units.

All academic and administrative units with a communications lead reporting to the Vice President for University Relations. Other units may request services with an academic or administrative sponsor, subject to approval.

URCS staff time is provided at no cost. You're responsible for production expenses like printing, web hosting, and materials.

Travel costs for projects outside the Ithaca area will be the responsibility of the requesting unit. We’ll discuss travel arrangements and logistics during the project intake process.

Submit a project via our request form or email creativeServices@cornell.edu. Include context about whether your project connects to strategic communications priorities.

• Intake: Submit request → URCS reviews criteria → Develop Statement of Work
• Production: Staff assignment → Regular updates → Collaboration
• Approval: Review deliverables → Incorporate feedback → Up to 3 revision rounds
• Closure: Final files delivered via Box

We accommodate urgent requests when possible, but early communication improves our ability to meet tight deadlines. If we can't fulfill rush requests due to capacity, we'll recommend external vendors.

We'll always share a brief explanation of why we couldn't accommodate the request internally, and will refer you to local vendors or freelancers who we have worked with in the past and who we know have proven success working with Cornell partners. We are able to provide minimal onboarding support when needed.

We strive to accommodate reasonable scope additions and extensions when they align with our capacity. Advance notice is crucial for managing changes effectively, and timelines and milestones may need to shift accordingly, including deadlines in certain cases.

The requesting college or unit retains exclusive use of all assets for the first 30 days. After 30 days, University Relations retains the right to reuse photo and video assets as appropriate for future university projects.

Through regular project reviews, partner feedback, and key metrics including total requests, equitable resource distribution, cost avoidance, value creation, and qualitative partner feedback.