For the last few years, one of the most asked questions of school leaders—from K-12 to higher ed—has also created some of the most difficult challenges. “Where does the school stand on/what does the school think of [insert social/political/cultural/etc. issue here]?”
There is no easy answer, and there probably never will be either.
The Dilemma School Leaders Face
In some ways, leaders are stuck—they either go too far in addressing an issue or don’t go far enough, and which is worse depends on who you are and what you think of the issue of the day. Regardless, it is close to impossible to issue a statement or deliver a community letter that will appease all audiences—students, faculty, staff, parents, board members, alumni, donors, prospective students and families, the list goes on and on. The statement or letter can then become an even bigger crisis than the event itself, and self-inflicted at that, fracturing an already fragile community.
The Impact of External Events on the Campus Climate
September is always one of the best times of the year to be on campus. Students are back on the quad after a short summer hiatus. Everything is new. Energy is high, and excitement is too.
But this year—maybe more so than in the past —so is anxiety, especially as one of the most hotly contested—and most consequential—U.S. presidential elections in history is less than two months away.
Add to that powder keg the fact that Oct. 7 marks one year since Hamas invaded Israel, a surprise attack that led to the murder of more 1,200 Israeli civilians and kidnapping of 250 more. The attack—and the subsequent war, which has killed tens of thousands in Gaza—thrust many college campuses across the country into sustained protests around for the majority of the spring semester, as well as disagreements and debates over what constitutes freedom of speech and expression.
Many Schools Moving to Policies of Institutional Neutrality
Many leaders experienced these lightning rods first-hand—some more public than others—and those lightning rods became full-blown Category 5 storms thanks to inadequate messaging and ineffective management.
The latter led many colleges and universities to announce policies of institutional neutrality, citing the University of Chicago’s Kalven Report, which was published in 1967.
The University of Texas system, one of the more recent adopters of institutional neutrality, noted that their policy, “rooted in the Kalven Report from the University of Chicago, reflects the principle that the institution’s role is not to take positions on political, social, or other matters unrelated to its operation but to uphold a community where students, faculty, and staff have the freedom to do so.” The list of colleges and universities instituting similar policies continues to grow.
Navigating Communications Challenges – 12 Questions for School Leaders to Consider
Every approach will be institution- and situation-specific, of course, but the presidential election, the ongoing Israel/Hamas war and the resulting protests and demonstrations, increasing violence and school shootings, and general social unrest, will surely put educational leaders and their institutions to the test this fall.
What to say and when to say it, or whether to say anything at all, are some of the most difficult communications challenges we help clients navigate. Here are 12 questions that we often pose to leaders to help them determine if they and their institution should have a voice on external events:
- Is this a national situation/issue? What is the awareness of this situation/issue within the stakeholder communities we are trying to reach? How does the situation/issue fit into the context of any related issues at our institution, past or present?
- Does the situation/issue have an immediate impact on our stakeholders, past, present, or future?
- Do we have a specific group of people who need to/want to/should hear from us on this issue?
- What is our goal in sharing our thoughts/position on the situation/issue?
- Does speaking out provide us with an opportunity to convey, support, or emphasize our mission, vision, and values or our position related to this particular issue or another issue? Is this a situation where leadership may not have taken a stand in the past but can/should do so now to show change or underscore a commitment to change?
- Have there been questions – past or present – from stakeholders regarding our response/lack of response?
- Will addressing the situation make our stakeholders feel safe or safer? Or will addressing the situation make our stakeholders angry or upset? Could our message fracture our community?
- Are other educational institutions addressing the situation in a public forum? How is the message being received?
- Will addressing the situation help/hurt our internal climate and/or community standing?
- How will speaking out/not speaking out be viewed once this story/situation has receded from the immediate news cycle? How will our response/lack of response age?
- How are we positioned to add to the conversation by speaking publicly?
- How does our response set the precedent for future issues?
Crisis Planning Support for Educational Institutions
If these questions create more questions—or if a conversation to talk through options about whether to address external issues might be helpful—our crisis communications team is here to help. Learn more about our team and services here.
