Policies
  1. Policies
  2. Crisis Communication Plan Policy

Crisis Communication Plan Policy

Source: Office of the Chancellor

SPECIAL NOTE: THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROCEDURAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CRISIS EVENT IS DEFINED IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. THAT PLAN IS PART OF THE BUILDING SUPERVISOR HANDBOOK AND IT IS AVAILABLE ON RISK MANAGEMENT'S WEB PAGE.

Communication management is a key factor in the institutional response to an emergency or crisis incident. Effective communication policy and practice can assist in the administrative response to a crisis and provide essential direction to faculty, staff, and students with the goal to disseminate information accurately and responsively to interested constituencies and the general public.

It is the policy of UW-Whitewater to be forthright at all times and timely in its communication with the University community, news media, and general public during a crisis incident. Decisions regarding communications will be guided by the commitment for public disclosure and the public's legitimate right to be informed, balanced by a concern for the right of the individual for privacy and personal security as well as the effect that immediate public disclosure could have on impeding an investigation or legal action.

Definition and examples of an institutional crisis or special incident:

An institutional crisis situation is one that may involve the personal injury or death of a member of the University community or may include property damage to the institution. A communication crisis may also be defined as an incident which involves non-violent criminal offenses, professional misconduct, lawsuit action, or any event that may impact individual or institutional reputation and elicit considerable news media attention.

I. Identification of a Crisis:

The identification of a crisis communication incident is at the discretion of the Chancellor, Provost & Vice Chancellor, Assistant Chancellors (Administrative officers), UW-Whitewater Police Chief, Director of Risk Management and Safety, and/or Director of News and Public Affairs and in a time frame that is appropriate to the incident.

Because incidents can occur both on and off campus and at any time of the day or night, it is necessary to have a notification mechanism in place that will ensure necessary information is communicated to the appropriate administrative officer(s) in a time and manner appropriate to the nature of the incident.

It is not possible to define a precise notification protocol because there are so many variations that can occur. Consequently, the "Incident Notification Profile" is built on a principle of professional judgement. The University official (typically director level or above) has responsibility to determine if and when notification should be made to an administrative officer. The following list of officials is intended to be illustrative and to identify the most frequent scenarios. It is not exhaustive and individuals who are placed in the "University Official" position will need to assume responsibility for exercising professional judgement. 


Incident Notification Profile

All events where campus police are directly involved:

  • Director of Police Services (or designate)

All facility issues not involving police, i.e. water line break, etc.:

  • Director of FP&M (or designate) for GPR buildings

  • Director of Residence Life (or designate for Residence Halls)

  • Director of Dining Services (or designate for Drumlin and Esker)

  • Director of UC (or designate for University Center)

  • Director of University Bookstore (or designate for Moraine Hall)

  • Director of Recreation, Sports, and Facilities; for all athletic, physical education, and recreation facilities, (or designate), must coordinate withe the Director of FP&M

All international events involving UWW students, faculty, and staff traveling outside the U.S.:

  • Director of International Education and Programs

All students and student organizations activities that occur off-campus:

  • Dean of Student Life

All faculty/staff activities that occur off-campus:

  • Appropriate, responsible individual (Dean or Director)


In making the decision to notify an administrative officer, the University Official will evaluate the event and determine if immediate notice is required, and to whom it should be notified. While in contact with the administrative officer, determination is made as to what additional notification is required and who will do it.

II. Notification of Crisis:

Upon notification of a crisis incident or one with such potential, the Director of News and Public Affairs will convene a Crisis Communications Team (CCT) to assure a rapid, coordinated, and effective response to the situation. Each CCT will be composed of the most appropriate representatives for the crisis incident with a CCT Administrative Officer and team members selected by the Chancellor, Provost, Administrative Staff, Police Chief, Director of Risk Management and Safety, and/or Director of News and Public Affairs. The CCT's activities will be coordinated by the Director of News and Public Affairs in cooperation with the designated administrative officer. The CCT will use established University of Wisconsin System or UW-Whitewater procedures as a framework for action. Foremost among its responsibilities will be to safeguard the security, health, safety, and individual rights of the students, faculty, or staff members who may be involved in the incident through open truthful communication.

Standing institutional procedural manuals, such as the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), should be followed in the event of an emergency or designated disaster. The Crisis Communication Plan is designed to complement the EOP and provide effective communication strategies and response mechanisms.

III. First-line CCT Representatives:

Chancellor, Provost,  and Vice Chancellor Administrative Staff University Police ChiefDirector of News and Public AffairsDirector of Risk Management and SafetyDean of Student LifeAssistant Dean of Student Life and Academic and Nonacademic Conduct OfficerAssistant to the Chancellor for Affirmative ActionDirector of Residence LifeCollege DeansDirectors of Offices in questionUniversity of Wisconsin System Legal CounselBuilding SupervisorsDirector of Health and Counseling Services

Other CCT Representatives:

Whitewater Student Government, residence hall or involved student organization officersFaculty and staff governance officersLocal and area police, fire, or emergency officersCommunity leadersState or federal agency representativesAthletic DirectorOffice of Continuing EducationAssociate Director of Residence LifeDirector of James R. Connor University CenterArea hospitals, urgent care, rescue squads, and fire departmentsCritical Incidents Debriefing TeamIV. Incident Categories, Designated Administrative Officers, Key Administrators, and Possible Responding Offices:Listed below are incident categories which may be considered significant enough to warrant institutional crisis communication coordination. The Director of News and Public Affairs, working with the designated administrative officer or his/her designee, will be responsible for coordination with other offices and staff members called upon to assist as needed:

  • Discriminatory incidents -- Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs, Assistant Chancellor for Finance and  Administrative AffairsAssistant Dean of Student Life. Human Resources. University Police. City Police. University Equal Opportunity Office. UW System Legal Counsel. Whitewater Student Government. News and Public Affairs.

  • Employee grievances and lawsuits -- Provost and Vice Chancellor, Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative AffairsHuman Resources. Appropriate Assistant Chancellor. Chairpersons of Faculty Senate and Academic Staff Assembly. University Equal Opportunity Office. UW System Legal Counsel. Risk Management. Appropriate office director. News and Public Affairs.

  • Environmental hazards -- Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs University Health and Counseling Services. Risk Management. Facilities, Planning and Management. University Police. City Police. News and Public Affairs.

  • Faculty/staff death/serious illness -- Provost and Vice Chancellor University Police. City Police. Risk Management. Dean or department chair. UW System Legal Counsel. News and Public Affairs.

  • Faculty/staff misconduct -- Provost and Vice Chancellor, Appropriate Assistant Chancellor UW System Legal Counsel. University Equal Opportunity Office. Director of Human Resources. Appropriate dean or department chair or office director. University Police if conduct is criminal. News and Public Affairs.

  • Health or safety incident -- Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs, Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Risk Management. University Health and Counseling Services. University Police. City Police. News and Public Affairs. Dean of Students.

  • Inclement weather -- Chancellor, Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs News and Public Affairs. WSUW-FM. Cable 6.

  • Institutional business and budget issues -- Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor, Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs, Assistant Chancellor for Budget, Planning and Analysis Appropriate deans or department chairpersons. Human Resources. News and Public Affairs.

  • International student/incidents -- Director of International Education and Programs, Provost, Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Risk Management. University Police. News and Public Affairs.

  • Major crimes (resolved and unresolved) -- Provost and Vice Chancellor, Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs, Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs University Police. City Police. UW System Legal Counsel. News and Public Affairs.

  • Politically controversial and disruptive incidents -- Provost and Vice ChancellorUniversity Police. City Police. Dean of Student Life. Appropriate administrative staff members. News and Public Affairs.

  • Property damage -- Assistant Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs Director Facilities Planning & Management. Executive Director of Auxiliary Services/PR Facilities Director. Risk Management. University Police. Appropriate Building Supervisor. News and Public Affairs.

  • Student death/serious injury/illness -- Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Dean of Student Life. University Health and Counseling Services. University Police. City Police. Risk Management. UW System Legal Counsel. Office of International Education and Programs for international students. News and Public Affairs.

  • Student misconduct -- Assistant Chancellor for Student Affair sDean of Student Life. Residence Life Coordinator for Community Development. UW System Legal Counsel. University Police if conduct is criminal. News and Public Affairs.

  • Student organizations misconduct/incidents -- Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Dean of Student Life. Assistant Dean of Student Life. Associate Director of James R. Connor University Center. UW System Legal Counsel. University Police if conduct is criminal. News and Public Affairs.

V. Release of Information and Site Logistics:

All written or oral statements, including news releases, interviews, news conferences, open memoranda or letters to the news media, the University community, or the general public, will require the authorization of the Chancellor or Provost, or their administrative designee, (the CCT Administrative Officer), and the Director of News and Public Affairs.

A spokesperson will be designated by the CCT to respond to news media inquiries. All media inquiries will be directed to the Office of News and Public Affairs for coordination and immediate response. Other crisis communication logistical arrangements, such as parking, telecommunications, security, news conference sites, access to site and/or individuals, and other relevant tasks will be coordinated by the Office of News and Public Affairs in cooperation with the CCT Administrative Officer and the Chancellor or Provost.

As amended


COOKIE NOTICE

We use cookies on this site. By continuing to browse without changing your browser settings to block or delete cookies you agree to the UW-Whitewater Privacy Notice.