What do other schools do in a crisis?

In the event of an emergency, a college or university — no matter its locality, urban suburban or rural; no matter its population; one campus location or several — must have a crisis management and communication plan in place. The number of stakeholders involved will be larger than expected, and involves everyone from first responders to student and faculty family members to the general public to the media (including social media) and more.

Although your institution has a plan in place and it’s one you have confidence in, there still could be room for review and improvement. Some of the best ideas to improve your plan may come from other schools. A number of colleges and universities post their crisis management plans to the web; don’t hesitate to review others’ plans and determine if they have established protocols and procedures that would enhance your own.

Here are a few examples:

Dominican College, Orangeburg, NY
Crisis Communication Plan

Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR
Crisis and Issues Management Plan

Lewis & Clark, Portland, OR
Crisis Management Plan Policy

The University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Critical Incident Management Plan

The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Crisis Communication Plan Summary

The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Crisis Management Plan

Wingate University, Wingate, NC
Crisis Management Plan

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.