Put Crisis Readiness to Use Now: Key Steps for Higher Ed Leaders

The recent Executive Orders from President Trump have created turmoil for higher education, sowing extreme concern and uncertainty and leaving campuses and their communities wondering what’s next. With that in mind, as intense as things are right now, a few critical aspects of good crisis management may be worth fresh attention:

1. Ensure your crisis communications plan is up to date.

Just as an operational crisis plan helps keep facilities running and people safe, a crisis communications plan performs its own essential role in guiding communications that keep campus communities informed and, to every extent possible, reassured. If you don’t have one, create it now, under the stipulation that it shouldn’t be long, and your team should be able to use it as a working guide in a crisis. The imperative pieces include:

• Define roles and responsibilities: Who speaks for the institution in different crisis scenarios? What is the chain of command for communications approval?
  
  

• Outline the messaging plan: What are your guiding principles for crisis communications? Who are the required personnel, and what are their roles? What offices usually need talking points? Who will monitor responses and inform leadership of them?
  
  

• Draft preparatory messages: Have you had scenario-planning discussions (see #3 below) about emerging predicaments and potential impacts on your campus community? What pre-drafted responses can you prepare now for quick review and editing so you can move fast if the time comes?
  
  

• Anticipate key questions: What are the most likely concerns across a range of emerging situations? You can start by using whatever you want from this set of questions we’ve prepared for you.

  
  

2. Review your process for responding to concerns. 

Addressing your campus community’s concerns well in a crisis is more likely if you’re prepared to do so under pressure. Critical components include:

• Designate a response team: Assign a cross-functional team to track emerging crisis factors, scope out likely stakeholder questions, and jump into action should the time come.
  
  

• Clarify internal structures: Establish a clear process for escalating concerns to leadership and deciding fast when and how to respond.
  
  

• Monitor and respond in real time: Leverage social listening tools, ensure frontline offices report up on constituent reactions, and communicate back promptly–even if, for the moment, only to share that you’re aware of the matter and will share more soon. Otherwise, fear and rumors will grow in the vacuum.
  
  

• Review and improve: As you go, spare at least a little time to consider what’s working and could be improved, and take even small steps toward the latter as needed.
  
  

3. Benefit from scenario planning.

Scenario planning builds clarity about options and preferences, strengthens decision-making processes, and reveals gaps before a real crisis strikes. For example:

• Conduct tabletop exercises: As emerging situations intensify, gather key leaders to walk through potential impacts and rate them from highly likely to improbable. The higher up that rating, the more you should be prepared to act. Be sure to confront the range of risks—whether human, operational, reputational, legal, or financial—and evaluate your readiness to respond.
  
  

• Pressure-test weak points: Use scenario planning to uncover vulnerabilities in your planning. What could delay decision making? What surprises could throw you off? Are there vital colleagues for certain predicaments (e.g., legal, athletics, immigration) missing from your response team? Are your critical communication channels truly ready for fast activation? Are your constituent databases up to date?
  
  

• Train spokespeople in crisis messaging: The most appropriate voices must be prepared to speak with clarity under pressure. Get them trained before the time comes so they can serve the campus community when needed.
  
  

• Learn as you go: Following each crisis drill, debrief to capture lessons learned. What worked or didn’t? Refine your plan, training, and preparation accordingly.
  
  

4. Seek counsel for additional support and guidance.

I know this seems self-serving, but the stakes are high and external support can provide useful objective advice from hard-earned experience. For example:

• Do you need someone to build or review your crisis communications plan?

• Do you need someone to walk you through high-pressure scenario planning?

• Do members of the team need media training before it’s too late?

• Do you need an outside partner now, on strategy, messaging, media management, internal communications, writing, or other critical elements?
  
  

How We Can Help

Our executive team has guided colleges, universities, and nonprofits through complex crises for decades. If we can help, let us know. 

👉 Need immediate support? Get in touch with our team.

👉 Want a quick reference guide? Download our free crisis tip sheet