According to this (via FlackLife), all higher ed PR people should be relatively happy.
…Generalists, people with moderately strong attachments to many ideas, should be hard to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have weaker, shorter negative negative reactions since they have alternative paths to realize their plans. Specialists, people with stronger attachments to fewer ideas, should be easier to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have stronger,more sustained negative reactions because they have fewer alternative pathways to realize their plans. Generalists should be the upbeat, positive people in the profession while specialists should be their grouchy, negative counterparts. — Karl Weick
In general, I agree. (What did you expect from a happy-go-lucky generalist?) The college and university public relations folks I know tend to be more upbeat and optimistic than, say, graphic designers. But we’re not nearly as chipper as the marketing, alumni relations or development folks.
Then again, a lot of PR people with a writing background (the best kind, in my opinion) are more introverted than the schmoozing marketing, development and alumni relations types, and they may come off as moody or negative. Much of it is a matter of perception, I think.
I’ve been accused of being a pessimist before by my fellow PR people. I prefer to think of it as realism based on experience.
Andrew Careaga 