Boston College's first Public Relations Office was created in 1948 with David J. Lucey (Boston College Class of 1940) as its director. The Office of General Publicity, headed by Felix Doherty and later by Sidney Smith, SJ, was a peer office with which it collaborated closely. Between the two offices, they promoted public awareness of University successes in fields other than athletics, which had its own publicity. General Publicity touted the successes of outstanding students and covered student elections. Public Relations coordinated events sponsored by outside organizations on campus, oversaw speakers for the Boston College Holy Name Society, and the director spoke at community events around the region promoting Boston College. Lucey also established the Boston College Directory.

John Larner (Boston College Class of 1943) was hired as Director of Public Relations in August of 1958. By this time, Public Relations had absorbed the responsibilities of the former Office of General Publicity. In his announcement of the new director to faculty and staff, Boston College President Michael Walsh, SJ described the role of the refurbished office as “to publicize, through all channels of publication, the programs and activities of our colleges and schools, our faculty and our students.” The office produced press releases and promoted stories to both local and national newspapers, as well as radio and television. It also assisted in the designing of Boston College's catalogues and brochures. It continued to produce the Boston College Directory, and kept files of student and faculty accomplishments. (Two semi-related offices existed in the 1960s, one for sports publicity, and the Bureau of Public Affairs, which acted more like an institute, dedicated to research and government relations. They were a recipient of NSF grants.)

Around 1966, Ron Nief joined Larner as Assistant Director of Public Relations. As office staffing grew, Public Relations began to maintain its own photographs, taken by staff writers, in addition to the commercial photographers it used. In July of 1970, James Delay replaced Larner as director. He restructured his staff to include reporters assigned to distinct areas including student concerns, faculty, and the press. The office also began production of University publications, the monthly Bridge (1970) and the weekly Thursday Reporter (1971). In 1973, the office ended the Thursday Reporter in order to create a publication aimed at alumni, eventually called Focus (1974-1980).

Poor morale following student unrest and organizational change in the early 1970s led to the removal in 1974 of James Delay and most of his staff. Ron Nief served as interim director and left for Brandeis College when Eddie Miller, the former head of sports publicity, was hired as director. Miller restructured the office again, and cut full-time staff from 16 to 8. The office hired a dedicated staff photographer in 1977. In June of 1979 Paul Hennesey became director, and in May 1980 he announced a change in name to the Office of Communications, whose responsibilities would include an “expansion of news and publication activity”.

Sources:

"BC Admin Offices Merge: Office of University Communications is result of restructuring." The Heights. Volume 97, Number 41, 27 October 2016.

"‘Communications’ replaces ‘PR’." Boston College Colleague. 2 May 1980.

"Getting To Know Us." The Heights. Volume XL, Number 7, 5 December 1958.

"Lucey Top Huckster; Sells Boston College." The Heights. Volume XXXI, Number 15, 6 January 1950.

Memo announcing new head of Public Relations, Box 5, Folder 9, Michael P. Walsh, SJ, President's Office Records, BC.2013.028, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

"Miller Named Director of PR; PR Spectrum Widens." The Heights. Volume LV, Number 4, 23 September 1974.

"News Analysis: Public Relations at BC." The Heights. Volume LVII, Number 3, 20 September 1976.

"Office of Communications to Divide." Boston College Biweekly. Volume 12, Number 13, 12 March 1992.

"Publication Policy." Boston College Colleague. Volume 4, Number 1, 1 September 1978.

"Public relations to introduce new publication, 'The Bridge'." The Heights. Volume LI, Number 8, 3 November 1970.

"Thursday Reporter to be Replaced." The Heights. Volume LIV, Number 15, 11 December 1973.