Counselors are the go to part of most schools.
Public relations are what the public thinks of you, as an individual, or as a collective profession. Whether you are aware of it or not, the impression you make on the public is public relations. You cannot avoid engaging in it. Much of what you do can not be discussed using specifics, but the goals you have for your department and your school should be public knowledge. Having a working partnership with the public yields rich results, for when people understand, they give their wholehearted support to your program.