A comparative look at the crisis communications plans of the fourteen Mid-American Conference schools

Abstract

This study is important because much of the literature on crisis communications discussed the importance of a plan and practicing the plan through drills yet the literature did not describe how to go about practicing the plan or provide specific details like how often practice drills should be conducted. The point of this study was to explore the crisis communications plans of the fourteen Mid American Conference schools, and also to determine whether or not those plans are practiced, and if so, to what extent they are practiced. Other aspects of crisis communications were also studied, such as the relationship with the media and the relationship with legal counsel in time of a crisis. It is important to present this information at this particular time because as the literature points out, colleges and universities are not exempt from crises (Barbalich 1991, Kennedy, 1999, Miller and Baxter 1987, Simpson 2001, Stuart 1987, Fearn-Banks 2002). Crisis communications plans were helpful in reacting to the crisis that struck the University of Florida when five students were murdered in 1990 (Barbalich 1991, Kennedy 1999). The University of Georgia also benefited from its crisis communications plan when it used the plan to help manage the 1986 crisis when a professor successfully sued the school after being fired (Miller and Baxter 1987). Likewise, Indiana University used its crisis plan to manage the Bob Knight controversy when the basketball coach was fired (Simpson 2001). Although research is available about colleges and universities benefiting from their crisis communications plans, research isn't available addressing whether or not these plans were practiced prior to the crisis. Details on how the drills were conducted, and how often, would help other colleges and universities in times of crisis. Likewise, other colleges and universities may be able to benefit from sharing and implementing the details of their respective plans.