Navigating a Personnel Issue at an Academic Institution

Challenge:

Academic institutions frequently face crises that threaten to create division within the community and attract negative media attention. A high-profile, local school was embroiled in a criminal, personnel controversy that threatened to create division within the community and attract negative media attention.

Strategy:

Fitler Square Strategies created a crisis communications plan that made sure to keep the community informed of the issues and developments before rumors spread or they heard it on the news. We worked closely with the institution’s leadership to create a clear, empathetic, and transparent communications plan. We built a plan so the school could respond quickly, protect its reputation, and keep students, faculty, and stakeholders informed as events unfolded.

Execution:

• Drafted statements and collateral including emails to parents and community members.

• Developed media responses and Q&A materials to respond to press inquiries.

• Provided strategic counsel to school leadership to help them with messaging and response to internal and external audiences.

• Worked with school leadership to coordinate messaging to avoid misinformation and speculation.

Results:

• Maintained trust within the community including parents, students, and teachers through proactive and honest communication.

• Limited negative press coverage by providing timely, factual updates.

• Helped leadership navigate a tense and emotional period with minimal reputational fallout.