FAQs

I know a printer who can get my project printed cheaper than your price. Can I have him do it?
Although the publications office bids each job with at least three vendors (often five or more), we know that occasionally you might be able to find someone to print a job more cheaply than we can. Our reply: Caveat emptor. In addition to using University Services for printing, we maintain a bid list of some of Orange County’s best printers who can handle the wide array of jobs that Chapman University produces. While price is certainly a consideration (each job goes to the printer with the lowest bid), quality is as well. That’s why we prefer to work with vendors with whom we have developed professional relationships. We update our bid list every May, though. So if you have a really hot prospect, have them send samples and an equipment list to the publications office and we will consider them for inclusion.

I know I signed off on the final proof, but there are mistakes in the printed piece. Does publications bear some responsibility?
We know how disappointing it can be when an error is spotted in a printed piece. And we sympathize with you. In fact, if it’s our mistake, we’ll have the job reprinted at our expense. You should be aware, however, that proofing is the responsibility of the client. You will have several opportunities during the stages of production to proof your copy. We suggest that if you're too close to it, you might consider having a fresh pair of eyes look it over. And remember, proofing doesn't mean editing for content. Once you begin to do that after a first proof, you'll incur some hefty charges.

I'm really tired of the logo. Can I use something else? OR: I really love the Chapman logo. Can I just tweak it a little bit for my brochure?
The window logo is a quick identifying symbol for Chapman University. We see it every day, so once in a while (the publications staff included) we're bound to get tired of it. Just as designers for IBM or Nike or CBS or NBC probably get tired of their logos. But it helps our audiences identify us. In the same vein, we don't like to tweak the logo. In other words, don’t try this at home. You shouldn’t try to squeeze images into the panels, turn it into a rectangle or generally abuse it. We are nice guys most of the time, but on this one, there’s no compromise.

Can I use the seal instead?
No. See our design standards.

Ten working days? It’s only a brochure.
Ten working days for printing is an industry standard (and that doesn’t include weekends or holidays). We’d like a little design time, too. You may have the simplest of jobs with an impossible deadline (at least by our standards) and we’ll try to make it happen. Last year we produced nearly 800 jobs for the university and we’re ahead of that pace this year. We would like to make it to the year 2000 with most of our sanity intact. Help us. Plan ahead.

Can I pick the artist with whom I want to work?
Generally, the director of publications assigns jobs to artists based on the job requirements and the artist’s area of expertise and work load. We think you’ll find all our artists extremely talented, easy to work with, dedicated to quality, possessing the patience of Job and the sense of humor of Groucho Marx. In the off chance there’s a personality conflict, speak to the director. We want your experience to be a good one.

I emailed you the copy just the way I wanted it. Why do I need to proof it?
When placing a document from a text file into a publishing program like Quark XPress (the software we use in publications), text can sometimes be mistranslated or left out, especially for longer publications. That’s why your attention to detail is so important on the first proof we give you. Keep in mind, too, that we will edit your copy for university style.

What are your hours?
We are open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can be available whenever you need us. Just call us.

Do you deliver?
Once a piece is printed by one of our outside vendors, it’s delivered to the publications office. We’ll give you a call and tell you how many boxes there are. You are responsible for making arrangements to pick it up. For larger jobs, you can call Facilities Management and arrange for the job to be picked up. Keep in mind they’re busy, too. We can store jobs for a limited amount of time in our garage. If a job is printed by University Services, they will call you when it’s ready.

I want to do a brochure. How much will it cost?
That’s a good question, but it’s a little like asking us to build a house without knowing how many rooms, square feet, and the location. Here are some questions we’ll have for you: What size will it be? Will it be one color? Full color? How many do you want to print? All these factor into the pricing. We are happy to provide optional specs to printers so we can give you as many options as possible.

What if I don’t like the design that you create?
As you can imagine pleasing every client with every piece is a tough task. Once in a great while, we may fail to meet your personal taste. However, our task is to best represent the university.

Why is this proof blue? I thought it was going to be a two-color job!
It’s a blueline. It’s like a photographic contact proof and it’s the proofing process of choice for most one- and two-color jobs. Don’t worry about the color. Check to make sure the photos are in the right place, or that copy hasn't disappeared, etc. You may also see a blueline on a four-color job in addition to a color matchprint.

Why am I being charged a rush charge for a simple job?
Though your job may seem simple, there are more than 183 things that can go wrong anywhere in the production and printing process. To ensure nothing goes wrong takes time. Additionally, rushing your job penalizes other clients who submitted their projects on time. If it seems punitive, it’s because it’s meant to be.