Crises are no strangers on campuses―whether the deaths of students, severe weather events, athletic wrongdoing, crime, or student or employee malfeasance. How leaders respond can save lives, strengthen the institution, and comfort the community―or compromise reputations and result in scandal.Risk management and readiness are not often at the top of the list of what presidents and their boards must do, but in a time of ongoing change, instantaneous communication, and media scrutiny, they risk their jobs and their institutional reputation if they do not heed the messages conveyed in this book. Gretchen Bataille and Diana Cordova, with extensive and varied experiences that include a university presidency, directing senior leadership programs, and counseling presidents and senior administrators faced with critical campus events – together with 22 presidents, seasoned leaders in higher education, and media experts – provide forthright, firsthand advice on preparing for and managing a crisis, as well on handling the emotional, and often long-term, toll that can result from dramatic events on campus. Through the examples of those who have successfully managed crises, this book provides expert insights and guidance on preparedness, assigning roles and responsibilities, and planning for contingencies ahead of time so that, in the moment, when there is pressure for immediate response that will be scrutinized by the media, by the public, and by the local constituencies, leaders can act with confidence.The contributors emphasize the crucial importance of ethical behavior, the need for clear protocols for how all employees should handle problematic issues, and the need for mechanisms that allow employees and students to report problems without fear of retribution. Creating an atmosphere of transparency, accountability, and ethical behavior isn’t something a leader does when a scandal strikes to protect a reputation; it’s what leaders must do to reinforce their good name every day.For senior leaders and board members not in the throes of managing a crisis, this book outlines what needs to be done to be prepared and offers extensive resources for further reading.
Gretchen M. Bataille served as the Senior Vice President for Leadership and Lifelong Learning for the American Council on Education from 2011-2013, when she joined ROI Consulting Group. From 2006-2010, she served as president of the University of North Texas, a research university with over 36,000 students and more than 250 degree programs, and she was senior vice president of the University of North Carolina system from 2000 to 2006. Bataille has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of The College Board as well as a Board member for ACE. She is a member of the Board of Directors for SAGE Publications and serves as a trustee for Drake University. Among her many publications are articles about faculty and administrative experiences and Faculty Career Paths: Multiple Routes to Academic Success and Satisfaction. Diana I. Cordova is Clinical Professor of Executive Education and Academic Director of the Kellogg Executive Leadership Institute (KELI), at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. At Kellogg, she focuses on C-suite leadership development for corporate executives. Prior to joining Kellogg in 2013, Cordova served as Vice President for Leadership Programs at the American Council on Education (ACE) where she was responsible for all leadership programs and initiatives, including the ACE Institute for New Presidents. From 1994-2000 she served on the psychology department faculty at Yale University and was awarded the 1999 Lex Hixon ’63 Prize for Teaching Excellence in the Social Sciences. Cordova also served as assistant dean of the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences from 2000-2003 and as Acting Associate Commissioner of the National Center for Education Research, U.S. Department of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from Stanford University and a B.A. from Smith College. John G. Peters , president emeritus of Northern Illinois University, served as the 11th president from June 2000 to June 2013. As NIU’
