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

  • golden trophies with falling confetti

    Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is happy to announce that we’re now accepting entries for the 2026 New Product Awards! The awards program recognizes the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered particularly noteworthy.

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.