Manage Campus Climate Flashpoints
Climate flashpoints are the new normal, as colleges and universities grapple with a wide range of incidents on campus. Flashpoints are climate-related incidents or events that cause disturbances in the community or media, including heightened levels of activism, media and public scrutiny, and reputational damage.
Prepare all campus leaders before an incident arises
It is critical that all senior institutional leaders have a baseline understanding of the current flashpoint landscape. First, teach senior leaders about the rapidly evolving landscape, then review how to address flashpoints through social listening.
Now that you’ve read the executive briefing
Conduct an annual audit to reveal gaps in current practice
Colleges and universities continue to be surprised by campus climate flashpoints. Left unchecked or mis-addressed, flashpoints negatively impact the student experience, overwhelm staff and resources, and ultimately affect an institution’s reputation and ability to make progress on key initiatives. Improve your preparedness by assessing your current infrastructure and procedures to respond to climate flashpoints.
Now that you’ve taken the audit
Convene a climate risk team for ongoing assessment and quick response
Leaders should mechanize upward risk updates through a climate risk team. A climate risk team can quickly identify and address emerging flashpoints before they ignite and keep a pulse on campus sentiment.
"“The Campus Climate Committee provides a lot of latitude for our team to solve smaller problems before they become bigger problems. Proactive communication is vital on a campus where things move so quickly. Through the committee’s regular meetings and its backchannels, we are able to tackle potential issues early and find workable solutions.”
"Pat Whitely, Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Miami
Coordinate information sharing through a controversial events template
An increasingly common flashpoint occurs when potentially controversial speakers or events happen on campus. Use a controversial events template for frontline staff to flag potentially controversial events and generate a shared document that outlines key information and how the institution will respond.
Now that you’ve accessed the template
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Access the roadmap
Learn how you can get access to this resource as well as hands-on support from our experts through Strategic Advisory Services.
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