Rationale and Purpose

Crises may take many forms – violent acts, natural disasters, mechanical breakdowns or student unrest, for example.  Whatever the type of crisis, Ozarks Technical Community College must be prepared to keep internal and external constituents informed through clear, accurate, consistent and concise communications.

As a public institution, OTC strives to be forthright and timely in communications. Decisions regarding communications during a crisis will be guided by the commitment to 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. Also to be considered is the effect that immediate public disclosure could have on impending investigations or legal actions.

This communications plan, as a part of the broader Crisis Management Plan offers policies and procedures for the coordination of communication within the OTC family and between OTC and external audiences, including the news media. The purpose of this document is to provide a flexible blueprint that OTC will use to communicate during crises.

Objectives of Crisis Communications

  1. To factually assess the crisis and to determine whether a communications response is warranted
  2. To assemble the Crisis Communication Team and determine the appropriate messages and actions
  3. To identify constituencies that should be informed; communicate facts about the crisis; minimize rumors; and restore order and confidence

Definition

Crisis communication is one component of overall crisis management. Communication is key to how OTC handles a crisis. How OTC communicates will have a lasting impact on the colleges reputation with various constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, the community and the news media. An effective communications plan, coupled with the early involvement of communication professionals, will help limit the negative impact of the crisis and allow those charged with mitigating the crisis to fulfill their responsibilities.

Initiation

When an employee of OTC identifies a crisis, his or her first responsibility is to determine the appropriate response to be taken in accordance with the Crisis Management Plan. The OTC employee who discovers a crisis should first react in accordance with the Crisis Management Plan before taking steps to activate the Crisis Management Team.

As the next step or as a first step in the absence of imminent danger to life or property the employee should inform his or her supervisor of the crisis. In accordance with appropriate chain of command, the office of the President is notified. The president will make the decision on whether to appoint and activate the Crisis Management Team.