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

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Reopens Following $25M Campus Modernization

    Haʻaheo Elementary School in Hilo, Hawaii, has reopened to students following a three-year, $25-million campus modernization and expansion project that significantly increases the school's instructional space while preserving one of the island's oldest educational institutions, according to local news.