When situations arise that threaten Student Affairs' ability to foster belonging, enrich learning, or ensure campus safety, your ability to communicate clearly and efficiently becomes crucial to protecting both people and the university's integrity. In this session, attendees will receive expert guidance on crafting a comprehensive communications strategy before a crisis occurs.

Proactive crisis communications planning is an essential part of a broader strategy for managing incidents within Student Affairs. Research on crisis communication plans from institutions like Purdue University, the University of California Office of the President, the University of Washington, and Youngstown State University shows the value of advanced preparation. These universities' plans allow them to act proactively, not reactively, during a crisis. Teaching mid- to senior-level Student Affairs professionals to adopt these frameworks—and integrate their own experiences—can greatly enhance their ability to coordinate effectively across departments during a crisis or other critical incident.

Learning Outcomes

This session will equip individuals with the information they need to create the framework for a crisis communications strategy that will: 

• Provide real-time notification to decision makers
• Keep the campus community safe
• Ensure that communications with employees, stakeholders, and news media are effective
• Minimize reputational risk to the institution